Crystalline Curse

[Forsaken Rider of Dreams]

This is a 1x1 between Narvix and I. It is based in an alternate reality in which large crystals emerged from the ground, granting people special powers. The setting is 200 years after the crystals first appeared. Being in a low level of technology time period, scrolls and books, especially those about the crystals, have been horded by various governing bodies. The story starts out in the city of Esthel, in the country of Pedan. This will be a story of war, lies, and politically placed truths.

 

Characters:

 

Narvix:

Name: Rosalia "Rose" Hendrickson
Age: 24 years old
Gender: Female
Appearance: Rosalia has olive-toned skin, tanned by long days out in the sunlight. Her auburn hair is long and wavy, reaching down below her shoulder blades and possessing blonde highlights. Her eyes are a golden hazel in color, flecks of green hidden in the irises. Possessing a faintly rounder face and soft features, Rose has a slightly curvy figure. With a pear-shaped body, her shoulders are narrower than her hips and waist, the curves exaggerated by thicker thighs. She is tall, about 5'8", with nimble fingers, lightly muscled arms, and legs trained for running.
She prefers wearing form-fitted clothing, fabrics that won't trail behind or hinder her movement. Rose most often wears a pair of tattered gloves over her hands, a couple of the digits missing and exposing her fingers. She does own a beaten-up travel sack, which she keeps slung over one shoulder or the other, and a pair of dingy goggles poised on her head.
Personality: Rose had to become very independent at a young age. She's hardened herself over several years and doesn't really remember the definition of empathy, or sympathy. While she's not straight up cold, she doesn't care about the troubles of others on a general basis and more just looks out for herself. Rosalia possesses a sense of right and wrong but, in a long-standing form of rebellion, she'll usually do what's right in the wrong way.
She hates admitting when she's vulnerable or wrong and would rather lash out angrily than let anyone know that. Rose's insecurities lie with her fear, and drive, for survival. 
History: Rosalia grew up poor, it's all she's ever known. Her family broke apart when she was young, leaving her on the streets to fend for herself. She became nothing more than a street rat, surviving in her own ways and learning how to defend herself. Several times, Rose found herself in trouble and more than once had to physically fight her way out. No stranger to the law, she's been arrested a few times and even broke out once. 
In more recent years, she came upon one of the strange crystals that many people knew of but didn't really understand. She broke a piece off and began research of her own kind. Already a fugitive, she added 'Unregistered Morpher' to her growing list of titles.
Crystal Ability: Morph
Dragon Appearance: Like all morphers, Rose's dragon isn't completely made of flesh or crystal. Instead, it's a combination of the two. Covered mostly in forest-green scales, her dragon possesses patches of emerald-hued crystal, as if someone had peeled off the scales to reveal the mineral beneath. These patches cover the entirety of the hind left foot, both hands, a middle section of the tail, and several spots long the neck and flanks. The right eye and cheek are completely made of crystal. The dragon's face is narrow, almost triangular in shape, with three black, pointed horns spiking backwards from behind the jaw and skull on both sides of the face. A black mane flows down in a line, following the spine, from the top of the head to the tip of the tail where it fills out like the bristles of an unkempt paintbrush. 
The wings are membranous, having three long fingers and a hooked thumb. The scales covering the throat and belly are a shade lighter than the rest of the body's scales. Rose's dragon is roughly 12' in height at the shoulder, the neck and head adding another 5', and about 19' in length from nose to tail tip. The wingspan is easily about 35'.
Other: Rose has a thin, plain band of silver wrapped around her ring finger. It's an item of great significance that she won't talk about.

 

Forsaken Rider of Dreams:

 

Name: Gran (Ace) Guile
Age: 28
Gender: Male

Appearance: Gran's appearance is nothing to write home about. He has the fairly standard broad shoulders that most military men have. His eyes are a deep blue with a very unusual and striking pattern in his irises. A green and red ring rounds his pupils, and seem to explode in streaks across his blue iris. He chin sits a bit high, and he has a very square jawline. Gran's hair is jet black which he keeps slicked back. He has three or four strands of hair which stubbornly lay across his forehead rather than slicking back. One of these strands is a silver color. It is the only silver in his hair but creates a very recognizable look when combined with his eyes. Bringing his facial look to a close is his goatee. It is based on the 'Pretty boy' style, and is the same color as his hair. Being in the military, Gran's clothes are dictated by the uniform standards. It is a very simple black uniform. Because of his job, his pant legs had a double red stripe following the seam on the side. He wore black socks and mid-shin high black leather boots. He carries two black powder pistols and a slightly short broadsword. His top is a white T-shirt and a black jacket on top. His jacket is reminiscent of a chefs jacket with a double row of gold buttons. The cuffs were red with more gold buttons. Gran doesn't wear his medals like some officers, instead he has a gold and red half cape that covers his left arm and the left half of his back. 

Personality: Gran's personality is very laid back. He has reached the rank of captain in the military by barely scraping by. His commanding officers hate him and his attitude, but understand that he is essentially a genius in the military world. As punishment the higher officers had moved him to a magic investigator position, ceasing his ability to gain promotions. Gran is a no nonsense and strict man when he is dealing with other non-registered magical people. His co-workers however, tend to see him as the most laid back commander, and some try to test his patience. 
History: Gran was originally born to two farmers. His parents, though not rich, were not poor in any way. He has four siblings, three of which are dead. His nickname Ace comes from his time in this small town before he moved to the big city. It was given to him because the town felt he was the ace of the town, and will make them famous. One day, the military came and took him and his three older brothers, but left his younger sister. All four of the brothers were introduced to the magical crystals, and basically force made into power users. One of the brothers became a morpher and though talented, ended up passing during a battle. The other three, including Gran, became summoners. One issue with being a summoner, is that if you will power is not strong enough, the dragons that you summon can turn on you. This is exactly what happened to Gran's other two brothers. Since then, Gran has worked his way quickly up the ranks, until he got to his current rank, captain.
Crystal Ability: Summoner
Dragon Appearance: Gran's dragon's looks change depending on what Gran decides to summon, though he tends to prioritize speed and flexibility over the hulking size. Because of this, his dragon tends to be about three feet tall and five feet long. It has wings, though it tends to run and climb over fly. It has a long narrow nose and four horns. The two outer horns are curled like a ram's, and the two inner horns are straight and slightly curl up away from its neck.The color of the crystal is a deep green with red stripes, like his eyes.
Other: Gran's loyalty is not as strong as it was once before. By working as an investigator, he has seen many things that have tested his loyalty greatly.

*All information subject to change at any time as story progresses*

[Forsaken Rider of Dreams]

It was a hot musty day. The sun was at high noon, its rays beating down like a hammer. The heat, felt like it was enough to melt a candle without lighting it. He sat in a building near the slums of the city, Here on the job. The building that he sat in was like some sort of bank, or maybe just an information center. He did not care what the building was honestly. He sat behind the desk in the god awful building, leaned back with half of his jacket undone. He had his boots kicked up onto the desk, which was made of the same damn clay as the building. Couldn't these people get any other building materials? Gran's partner and co-worker, LT Karris stood to his right side behind him. He had offered her a chair, which she refused. Always so formal and uptight with her. Stationed at the door were four soldiers. Two were stationed outside the door and two inside. Gran didn't know any of the soldiers, being that they are all in different platoons. In front of him, on his knees, was the owner of the filthy building. The man was being held down by a soldier, and has done nothing to deserve this treatment. Gran looked one last time at the man, who begged and pleaded with him to let him go. Gran, being loyal to his work, instead puled out a pistol and shot the man. You see, Gran was in that area because he had learned that there was apparently an unregistered running around.

[ValidEmotions]

Dirt was smeared across her cheeks, streaked by sweat, as she wiped her brow against her forearm. It was far too hot and Rosalia couldn't wait for evening to come when the sun would set and the temperature would be cut in half. She rested within the shadow casted by a stack of supply crates, trying to find refuge from the sun. With her auburn hair tied back into a disheveled bun, she gingerly touched the back of her neck. The skin felt taut and sensitive to her fingertips. She frowned, grimacing a second later. Sunburnt.

Bringing her hand down from the back of her neck, her fingers brushed the leather cord that wrapped around the base of her neck. Out of habit, she followed the length until her fingers found the inch-and-a-half-long crystal pendant that rested in the notch of her collarbone. A necklace was easier to keep track of than a free-moving item in her bag and a tighter cord was harder to grab than a loose one. Though, she knew the risks of possessing a piece so openly. She didn't need to see the crystal to remember the diluted green color.

Peeking around the crates, Rose slipped out into the side alley and blended into the crowd of bodies. The city was large but it was no capital; it didn't take her several days to commit the layout of the city to memory. And, as it wasn't the capital nor a major trade center, she counted on the general education not being able to recognize the crystal at her throat. It was just a simple piece of jewelry like the silver band on her ring finger.

As she traveled the streets, she could see the gradual change in buildings, largely in just the materials used to make them. Wood and metal was almost a commodity for luxurious living. If you didn't have the money to buy in bulk, you had to chop or hammer in your own time. Otherwise, clay and stone were what you had. 

During the middle of the day, most of the population was busy with errands or jobs in the centre of the city. Which left the outer edges quieter. No longer surrounded by people, Rose gripped the strap of her bag tightly and walked a little slower than before.

[Forsaken Rider of Dreams]

Gran sighed as he stood. Another wasteful death at the order of an uncaring government, followed by a half-assed hound. With a flick of the wrist, Gran motioned for the soldier to dispose of and clean the body and mess. The story will probably be spun that the man attacked a military officer, and was put down. This will allow for the government to seize his land and assess, thus allowing them to make a profit. Gran began to reload his pistol, having trained enough that he doesn't need to look. Gran's mind went to the man's wife and daughter, who Gran gave a silver so she could go buy some candy.

Both of them had left not but moments before Gran entered. A wife widowed and a daughter left without a father. Both of whom will suffer at the hands of rumors and guilt, for not fault of their own. Gran sighed again and popped his neck left, right, and then left again. It was a habit that he had formed whenever annoyed with his orders. He motioned quickly to Karris and to the other four soldiers, all of whom were inside at the sound of a gunshot. Follow.

As the group left through the front door, all of the civilian gawkers instantly turned to look like they weren't paying attention. They hopelessly tried to hush their voices when gossiping, hoping to not be overheard. Of course, Gran didn't mind. He walked on without a second glance. It was about ten minutes of walking later that he could first smell the aroma. Deciding that he was in fact hungry, Gran followed the smell another 3-4 blocks, coming to a stand with tables outside. At first he figured he would have to go order himself, but then he saw a little waitress girl running around.

The girl was probably 15, short but slim, with dark curly hair. A bit young for a company to hire, so it must be family owned. As he sat down he heard Karris clear her throat, she wanted to say something. "Yes Lieutenant?" He started.

"Captain, do you really think that this is time to relax? We still have the unregistered on the loose."

Karris let a little more contempt than usual slip out, which reminded Gran of his partner's hate of the unregistered. He shrugged and waved his hand dismissively, causing Karris's face to scrunch in annoyance, yet back off all the same. 

Edited July 5, 2017 by Forsaken Rider of Dreams

[ValidEmotions]

She recognized trouble when it came around.

Rose had spotted the crowd in the near distance, slowing her pace even further. As the people started to turn away from the clay building they clustered near, she darted behind the corner of another building. Peeking out, she caught glimpses of military figures, the insignias on their coats a clear indicator of just the kind of forces they were.

And that spelt trouble, big time.

Question was, what were they doing here? In Esthel? Ducking down the side street, she wrapped around the building, trying to find a window she can look through. When she finally found one, she stole as long of a glance as she dared to. Inside, she spotted military personnel moving about, a body being cleaned up. When one of the figures started to turn towards her, she dropped out of sight and pressed her back to the wall.

A scowl crossed her lips as a dead body didn't really answer the question of 'why here?' Instead, it only brought up more questions. Shaking her head, she crawled away from the window and the building. When she was clear, she stood up straight and covered her crystal with a hand. She muttered a curse under her breath before ripping the crystal off, leaving just the leather cord and a busted bronze wire. She couldn't walk around freely with it in plain sight but she didn't want to just simply stuff it into her bag either. Too risky on both sides.

Pushing the crystal into her left boot instead, she re-shouldered her bag and darted out onto the main street. The group of soldiers were still ahead when she made the decision to follow at a discreet distance. Rosalia was expecting them to head further into the city. However, the man apparently in charge had decided to stop at the local eatery. Frowning, she veered towards a hay-covered cart, sheltering behind the horse tied to it and a post. She wasn't close enough to hear their words but she could just make out their expressions. The woman wasn't happy about something.

[Forsaken Rider of Dreams]

Gran's eyes flicked quickly to Karris, though she had almost instantaneously changed her facial features from annoyed to a stoic professionalism. He wasn't sure how she did that, being able to hide her emotions so well. Gran stepped up to a table and before he sat down, pulled out both pistols and his sword from his belt. It wasn't necessary, the uniform holsters being built so you can sit with your weapons, but Gran was old fashioned in his ways. He leaned the sword against a chair next to him and placed both pistols on the table, barrel facing away from him. Both of the pistols were laid out in a way in which anyone with some training could very quickly snatch and fire the pistols from where Gran sit. Without being told to, the four soldiers that had accompanied him and Karris, spread out so that all would be within visual and earshot of each other. 

The guards stood still and silent, like statues that one would find in a park. The only inclination to their life is their constantly searching eyes and the occasional head twitch. Karris moved back to her place behind Gran, her ears and eyes sharp to any movement. It was all a very well rehearsed play, Gran thought. He was given the security that most majors only dreamed of, and yet he didn't feel safe. Gran had little doubt that the four soldiers would leave him to die if they could, none of them being loyal to him. He was fairly certain Karris would stay, though sometimes he was unsure if it would be to protect him, or to laugh as he is slowly beaten to death. Gran shook his head at the thought, earning a quick look from Karris, and a nearby waitress, who had been staring at him, to stop pouring coffee mid way through. 

Gran called over the waitress he had saw earlier so that he could order something to eat. Most commanders have this want to seem better than others, so they order fancy foods. That must have been why the young girl had such a surprised look on her face when he ordered a grilled ham and cheese sandwich, with a water. It wasn't long before Karris leaned over his shoulder and made a quick gesture to a horse. Gran looked at her like she was going insane, before taking a closer look. It was then that he spotted the two legs on the other side of the horse. Gran smiled quickly, the kind of sly smile a hunter gets as he finds his prey. 

Edited July 5, 2017 by Forsaken Rider of Dreams

[ValidEmotions]

Someone cleared their throat behind her and she turned, meeting the curious gaze of a farmer. Rose rolled her eyes and patted the horse on the withers before stepping away. As the man moved to untie the horse from the post, Rosalia walked away from the dining spot, glancing over her shoulder to catch a glimpse of the soldiers as she did so. To her displeasure, her eyes met those of the man sitting at the table, his guns and sword in clear display. 

The woman behind him was also looking her way.

Swiftly averting her gaze, Rosalia kept walking. She knew, with the way the two soldiers looked at her, they were after her. She was not ignorant. Rose needed to put as much space between herself and them, find a way to lose them and leave the city without them following her trail. But she couldn't do that in their sight.

Disappearing behind the little dining shop, Rosalia practically dared the soldiers to follow her, even looking back up and winking at the man and woman. When she was out of sight, she started running.

[Forsaken Rider of Dreams]

Gran chuckled lightly. When the girl, or well young lady, came out from behind the horse he couldn't help himself. She looked so guilty in the way that she quickly glanced away. Those movements practically screams guilty. At first Gran wanted nothing more than to talk to her, to figure out why she was watching him. She could have been curious and had seen the confrontation at the bank, or was it a shop, or maybe a welcome center? Regardless he told himself, what ever it was, it will not be in the future. Karris, being the confrontational job lover that she is, immediately ordered the four soldiers to follow. These four soldiers, being that they are not investigators, had different uniforms than Karris and Gran. Their uniforms were a light tan, with dark brown leather boots. On their arms, they wore armor plating that articulates with their elbows and shoulders. The legs are protected by full length greaves, Though they do not have full plate on, their main uniform shirt is padded enough to protect against basic weaponry. Each soldier carried a full length long sword at their hip, the length customized to fit the soldier.

When the lady turned back a second time, before disappearing, she winked at Gran, who simply had waved back. Gran hated this part of his job. The uniform that the top brass stuffs him into isn't made for running. Their excuse is that he needs to command a sense of respect, and that he can use his summon when needing to chase. Gran did not get up until after he finished eating and paid the waitress, this annoyed Karris, but it was a quirk of his that she has come to accept. Gran stood and holstered his two pistols and reattached his sword. After a brief smile to the waitress, he believes he can woo anyone with his smile, he headed to the other side of the diner. It was there that Gran used his magic. He lifted his left arm and held his hand out. His hand had a deep black glove on, which hides away the pulsing glow of his emerald crystal. Instead two rings appear, one in front but away from Gran, and one around Gran. From his hand, green threads of light flicker and whip through the air to the second ring. These lights begin to come together, forming a crystal dragon from the feet up. 

As the dragon was completed, it immediately ran up the side of one of the buildings. With the dragon being faster than a human, it will run across the roofs of the buildings, searching for its prey. 

[ValidEmotions]

With four soldiers trailing her, Rose had to figure out a way to outsmart them on the fly. She stole a glance back, noticing two of the soldiers splitting off and taking a side route. She kept running, slowing her pace only enough to shoulder through a cluster of people, she earned a series of gasps, shouts, and looks of surprise. Veering onto one of the main roads, she stumbled when a cart was suddenly pushed into her way. Tripping, she hit the ground and rolled a couple feet.

She quickly reached for the crystal in her boot, clutching it tightly within her hand, before scrambling back onto her feet and continued running. At first, she didn't notice it. However, when she finally did, she almost stopped to figure out what it was. Her crystal was humming, vibrating within her fist. Uncertain of what it meant, she couldn't think on it long.

Rose spotted the crystalline dragon upon the rooftops. Muttering a curse, she veered down another street, only to collide with the two soldiers who had split off earlier. One of them grabbed her arm but she twirled and brought a leg up, kicking him in the side of the head with her heel. He let go and dropped to the ground, stunned at the very least. She started running again, avoiding the gunshot that sounded behind her.

[Forsaken Rider of Dreams]

Gran stood still for a while, concentrating on his dragon and its feelings. It wasn't long after the dragon went to the rooftops that something felt strange. There was always a sort of connection between Gran's dragon, and the crystal embedded in his hand. It was like there was an invisible string connecting the two, a means of communication. This new feeling was different. It was similar to a radar. No, not a radar, a compass. The difference was instead of the cardinal directions, there was one direction only. The dragon turned, bounding easily over two rooftops toward the energy. It was there that the dragon found the source of the energy, the woman that they were hunting. It let out a screeching roar, that sounded like thousands of crystals grinding against each other and then amplified. The dragon ran and leaped from the rooftop, its wings snapping open, the sound like a firecracker exploding. The dragon's plan was to get in front of the girl, landing in the alley and blocking her escape path.

Gran could sense the dragons excitement before he heard the roar. He hated its roar, didn't do the dragon justice in his opinion. Gran took off running, quickly giving a set of signals to Karris, go around. He was feeling the drain of the dragon, his body sweating even though he had barely started running. Gran fancied himself as quite the genius when it came to summoning. His fighting style was so different from other summoners it set him apart. He even knew that he would need constant exercise to handle prolonged times with his dragon summoned. Gran was but maybe two turns in when he heard the gunshot. Silently he cursed the soldiers. He was always given the rookies upon arrival. They know what to do to look nice, but none had the backbone to stay when things got dangerous, and all of them defected to their guns. At least Karris is wise enough to know that we want the girl alive. Gran grunted and pushed himself, and his legs, harder and faster when he saw the first soldier still laying on the ground, his friend fumbling with his gun. 

[ValidEmotions]

The sound of the dragon filled Rose's ears, causing her to grimace at the awful noise. It sprang, wings flaring and body landing in her path. Skidding, she sharply turned left, jumping over a fence to run through someone's little garden. The other two soldiers cut her off, forcing her to backtrack and try another route. 

She still kept her crystal tightly within her grasp. Not yet... she thought, hoping she wouldn't have to do it within the city. 

This time, she pushed people out of her way, not caring if they got a few scrapes or bruises from the ground. That dragon wasn't getting off her tail, even if she managed to lose the flunkies. With the dragon keeping pace and Rose gradually running out of steam, she slid to a halt when the military woman stepped out, gun aimed.

"****," Rose swore, growing still. 

[Forsaken Rider of Dreams]

Karris stood still, her firearm raised, and the slow burning wick alight. She was a soldier, regardless of the pretty face and the almost puppy dog eyes. She is willing to save someone's life as much as end an others. Karris was a special case, holding her pistol with both hands, she positions her body so that if she misses, she can immediately throw the pistol away, and pull her sword. The girl whom Karris held in her sights, seemed to be around a similar age, maybe a little younger. Karris's eyes flicked for a fraction of a second to the lean dragon behind the girl. At first she wasn't sure if the dragon was friend or foe, but considering the girl was running from it, she assumed friend. The dragon stepped up closer behind the target, its jaws opening and shutting. From the sheer size, what is just a tiny vibration on a crystal, sounds like a musical hum coming from the dragon.

Gran came around a corner from an ally, already exhausted. He had taken his jacket off, leaving his now sweat stained T-shirt on. Gran came up behind the dragon, placing his left hand on its leg. In an instant the dragon disappeared, an emerald shower of dust in its place. Gran could feel it now, the vibration in his crystal. It felt odd, being embedded. He came up and stood not far from the girl, his hand on his sword. He carried his jacket on his shoulders, though he didn't put his arms through the sleeves. "You know," he started, "it only makes you look guilty when you run. And besides, I don't like running, why would you make me run after you? I need to ask you some questions, preferably somewhere quiet." He watched the girl cautiously, ready for any erratic movements.

[ValidEmotions]

Rose stayed where she was, watching the other woman until she heard the sound of crystal tapping rocks. Glancing behind her, she spotted the dragon, the snap of its jaws accompanied by strange humming. A few minutes later, the man arrived and crouched down to touch the beast. It in a flash of magic, the small dragon was gone. So he was a summoner, how fitting.

Flashing a pretty smile at the soldiers, she carefully lifted her hands, one open while the other remained fisted. Cautiously, she took a couple steps back and turned so she could see both inviduals at once. When the man spoke, her innocent smile turned into a smirk. "I love running and you looked like you could use time off your a**," Rose quipped. "Why do you want to ask me questions elsewhere? Here's quiet enough," she remarked. "Unless you want privacy too?" She winked at him, clearly flirting in a non-serious way. 

Waving her open hand dismissively, she stopped smiling and her body language became less open, almost passively unfriendly. "I hate authority. Had to deal with it more than a few times," she stated, crossing her arms over her chest. 

[Forsaken Rider of Dreams]

Gran sighed. He could tell almost immediately that this was going to be a trouble. The girl looked to probably be 5'6" plus or minus a couple of inches. She was decently shaped, and looked to be Karris's age. The biggest issue were her clothes. Gran could tell that the girl didn't spend much time in the higher quality parts of the city. Looking around, there were a few boxes stacked together. Gran went to the boxes and laid his jacket across them, and then took off his shirt to wipe up the rest of his sweat. His skin, normally a deep olive brown were the sun kisses it, is a shade or two lighter were his shirt was. After finishing, Gran put his jacket back on and buttoned in most of the way back up. During this entire theatrical set, Gran's hand, with the crystal, has been vibrating. He shot a look at the girl's hand that had remained shut.

"A bit defiant huh? That is fine." Gran began walking towards the lady, his eyes locking onto hers. "I wanted to move this somewhere quiet, not for any indecent reasons. Though..." he left the sentence unfinished, his eyes flickering quickly over her body, "no, I just wanted to talk. The issue is the thing I want to talk about is well, highly secret. We don't need any wandering ears nearby to hear us. But all of this can be bypassed you know? You could just join us, us being Karris and I. Of course you would have to register that crystal in your hand, and yourself as a power user." Gran, was completely joking. He didn't expect the lady to take him seriously, and figured that this may end up a fight.

[ValidEmotions]

Still frowning, Rose's eyes narrowed just a fraction when the man stepped closer and seemed to study the rest of her body. "Right. And where is it you suggest we 'talk'?" she questioned, lifting her chin slightly in a defensive gesture. She had been thinking of how best to slip away while the man had mopped up his sweat, not at all hesitant about exposing his body.

He was rather toned, the muscles along his torso betraying how regularly he trained. In physical prowess, Rose might not be able to compete without a little help. But she did have her stamina and speed to count for. Given his current condition, Rose felt she might be able to outrun him.

At mention of a crystal and registering, Rose smirked. She saw no point in lying about owning such an item. But, "Did you honestly think I'd be that easy?" she remarked before ducking to the left and charging forward with a left hook towards his ribs.

[Forsaken Rider of Dreams]

Gran watched the lady duck to the left. Even though he was lazy and uncaring, he recognized danger, and the need to be focused. "Well, I was thinking my temporary headquarters to be honest." Gran began to step to the left, towards the woman's punch. At the same time he raise his fist to backhand her. He would take some damage from the blow to the ribs, but stepping into the punch does two things. First it forces her to hit earlier, when her arm is still bent, reducing the force of the attack, and second, it adds weight and power into his attack. It was a cheap move, and not something most street fighters see. Though, he wasn't just some street fighter, he was a trained soldier. "Why don't we start with out names?" He gasped slightly, betraying his level of exhaustion. He will need to take a nap after this. 

Karris moved almost instantly, she fired her one shot towards the other lady's legs. She figured she would miss, it was a desperate shot after all. Karris holstered her pistol and drew her sword, the movement fluid and practiced. And then, Karris ran. She kept her sword to the right side of her body, low and horizontal. Her plan was to run a little further than were the lady was, and then stop and turn sharply with her sword in a left slash. The plan was to also stop before hitting the girl, With them trying to capture the girl after all.

[ValidEmotions]

The man stepped forward and into her attack, her fist connecting with his ribs just as the back of his hand met the side of her head. Twirling away with a grunt, Rose jerked her gaze towards the woman when she fired her gun. Scowling as she was charged with the sword, Rose leapt backwards, flipping midway and using her hands to push against the ground, vaulting even further away. That put the man in between the women.

"If you want my name, you'll have to take me to dinner first," Rose commented, obviously not serious about the offer. Good, he didn't seem to be up to par. The only thing working for him was that he had an ally. Speaking of whom, the other woman was moving again, sprinting past her partner and leading with her free arm, sword trailing behind. Another arcing sweep.

The blade wasn't angled to cause any real damage, only to hit Rose with the broad side. Dodging the attack too easily, Rosalia kicked out at the woman's feet, catching her ankle and making her roll to the ground.

Too easy. That meant...

She twisted around, hoping she was able to catch the man's attack.

[Forsaken Rider of Dreams]

Gran grunted in surprise at the amount of course behind her punch. Even after stepping into the punch, and tightening his muscles, it still felt like a hammer blow. Not a sledge hammer, but a hammer non the less. Karris felt her legs sweep out from underneath her, and cursed as her shoulder hit the ground. She had let go of her sword during the fall, to keep from landing on it. Karris stood quickly, facing the woman, ready to fist fight, only to see Gran already taking action. Gran only had to take a few steps towards the girl before he was in range. He spun counter clockwise on his right foot landing a hard roundhouse kick with the heel of his foot to the back of her head. 

Gran watched with a frown as the girl fell. From her hand dropped the crystal, its color already changed from the vibrant blue purple. Tsk, already used. Gran reached down and grabbed the crystal, and then flicking a few commands to the soldier who had appeared near by. Gran had the girl brought with him to their base, and put in a square room with only a single door. On the inside is a guard keeping watch. The girl, would be shackled in place. 

[ValidEmotions]

Pain flared at the back of her head and then there was nothing.

Rose didn't know how much time passed before she managed to wrest consciousness back into her control. Bleary, likely due to the intense throbbing at the base of her skull, she groaned and rolled her head back. When her eyes focused, she failed to recognize that a ceiling was above her for a few heartbeats. Startling, she jolted, causing her head to spike with pain in retaliation. Hissing, she froze immediately and waited for it to pass. When it did, Rosalia inhaled deeply and slowly. She needed to take stock.

She was slumped on the ground, her back pressed against a wall in a poorly lit room. Moving first one arm and then the other revealed that she had shackles around her wrists. A glance told her the same story for her ankles. Tsk'ing with displeasure, she idly attempted to pick at the shackles. As expected, her fiddling was to no avail. Looking over, she spotted the lone guard who stood stoically beside the only door to the room. "Hey," she called out, earning no sign the man had heard her. "Hey! How long 'ave I been out?" she inquired.

For a moment, she thought he wouldn't give her a response. Finally, he turned his gaze to her, frowning. "A few hours," was all he said.

[Forsaken Rider of Dreams]

After answering the soldier grasped on the door three times. This was a code to the outside guards. Then one of the outside guards left his post, running to go Gran. Gran was busy at his desk at the moment a soldier came running up to him. So she is awake? Gran chuckled and motioned for Karris to stay where she was. The guard followed Gran, who first went to the mess hall. He got two simple meals, garlic pasta, broccoli, and some type of meat that they say tastes like beef from back home. When the soldier and Gran made it to the door, he had the guard go inside to grab the girl. 

During the time that the guard was inside, Gran went to the next room. It was similar to the first, only it had a table and two chairs. Near the foot of one of the chairs was a ring for shackles to be locked into. Gran put the food down on the table and had water brought in. He smiled as the girl arrived. "Well, I've taken you out for dinner, so now you tell me your name." Gran's smile was innocent and kind, as if he hadn't just kicked her in the back of the head a few hours earlier. 

[ValidEmotions]

Rose watched the guard rap his knuckles against the door yet nothing appeared to happen. Frowning, she remained silent, trying to decide if she should vomit or not from the nausea her headache was stirring up. Several minutes ticked by and Rose began to pick at her shirt, very aware of the possibility that her bag and crystal were not being returned to her. Lifting a hand up, she felt the leather cord around her neck, touching the broken wire. Shifting her gaze to the fingers of her left hand, she started to spin the band of silver around her ring finger.

Eventually, the door opened and she looked up quickly, eyes narrowing as a second guard approached her. He pulled her to her feet roughly, releasing her shackles from the wall before shoving her forward. Grunting as she stumbled, she managed to regain her composure a moment later and allowed the guard to guide her into a neighboring room. Inside, the man from before sat at a table with two trays of food. 

At his request, she scoffed, flicking her head back briefly. "So you have," she started. The guard's hand clamped down on her shoulder, pushing her into the empty seat before taking the chain connecting her wrists together and stringing it through the little ring. "You know," she began again, leaning forward a bit and lowering her voice to mimic a somewhat sultry tone. "If you like it rough, all you had to do was say so. No need to send out your wingmen," she teased.

Sitting back, she eyed the food tray. "Rosalia," she finally informed him. "Now, give me back my stuff."

[Forsaken Rider of Dreams]

Gran chuckled. The girl had sass. "I thought you might like the foreplay. Besides," he paused, lowering his voice to a growl, "last time I got rough with you, you fainted." Gran leaned back and nodded to the food. "Its going to get cold if you don't hurry." Gran pulled two forks out and put one in front of Rosalia, and used the other himself. "Rosalia, such a pretty name. It seems appropriate as well."

Gran pulled out her crystal from his jacket. He placed the crystal one the table, his side, away from her reach. "It is time for us to talk. Normally my job is to gather the crystals for the government. In the event that it has already been claimed, I have two choices. Eliminate, or capture. It is quite obvious that I have already succeeded, so I see no reason to kill you. But I also don't feel like throwing you into prison until you rot, so we are at a bit of an impasse." Gran paused to eat a few bites, before a look of astonishment passed over his face. "I forgot to say, my name is Gran."

Edited July 7, 2017 by Forsaken Rider of Dreams

[ValidEmotions]

"Well, I normally don't get a boot to my head," Rose retorted. She shrugged, waving dismissively. Looking at the food again, she frowned slightly before reaching for the fork. "I don't think so - too delicate," she stated in response to his compliment. Taking a couple bites of her own, she chewed slowly.

"Gran..." She played the name across her tongue, trying to find an impression the name might leave behind. Deciding she was better impressed with the man before she had a name for him, she tilted her head and rested her cheek on her fist. "You caught me, congratulations, a job well done," she quipped, smirking. "Shall we call it a day then and you release me to the streets? We can even do this from the back, I don't mind," she grinned. 

[Forsaken Rider of Dreams]

"Hmm, too delicate huh? I don't think so. The name Rosalia reminds me of a rose. A rose, though pretty to look at, is dangerous to just grab. There are thorns on the stem, so you either have to be brutal and cut the thorns off. Which is similar to our option one, I keep your stuff and put you back out on the streets. Or you can do option two. With enough finesse and car, it is possible to grab the rose around her thorns, allowing the full enjoyment of her beauty." 

Gran finished his food and pushed the plate aside. "However tempting you make option one, I'm a little more selfish than to give things up. This leads us back to option two. You stay with me. You work for me and the military, your rank would be second lieutenant. And, Miss Rosalia, you will be able to keep your thorns." Gran smiled. 

[ValidEmotions]

"I thought option one was to exterminate me," Rose drawled, ignoring his comparison with the flower. Rolling her eyes, she left the rest of her food untouched, setting the fork down after its scant use. Giving him a smile in return, the expression filled with venom, Rosalia shook her head. "I'm sorry, but I'm not conforming to your decisions alone. I'm not leaving without my things and you're not going to turn me into one of your brainwashed flunkies. Like I told you earlier, I don't care for military.

"Look, Gran, I can make things very easy or very difficult for you. I think you're the kind that just prefers things to be on the easier side to deal with. You certainly do come off as lazy," Rose stated. "But you also come off as not truly caring for your position and the system you work for. There's something we can come to agree with: neither of us like it. So why work for it? I'm not going to be registered just so the military can snatch me up whenever they please and make me do their dirty work for them."