TRP is a post-Great War AU RWBY RP set in Mistral City and Haven Academy with no canons, no rank claims, no maidens, and no god interference. We offer a progression system and site-wide events that change the setting based on player actions.
Post by Aurelian Belebast on Oct 7, 2019 22:55:48 GMT -5
Crack, Creak, Croak.
The air hummed and buzzed with melancholy enjoyment, the sun sparse shine skimmed it's way between the shifting cracks of the cloud coated sky and the feeling of soft dirt beneath footstep moaned as it's mane of grass faltered beneath footstep. Aurelian stood before the gates of his future... With a Broken cart and a face littered with beads of sweat.
He dragged a hand against his brow, a long skim of water flicked against the grass accentuating a bead of morning dew. It was early, too early. The sun had made it's daily call and dragged itself up and over the mountain ranges, the sound of early morning bussel had only just begun, a few odd looks stared at the Vacuoan man, his sharp features cutting along the length of a poormans wooden cart, scrapes and grime littered the side, a tattered hide left wailed as sunlight drifted and showed all manner of rips and tears in his Uniform that had hung limply on a clothesline. He himself, was fine. His clothing long black linen with refined cuffs of Silk seemed untouched and marred by what was obviously a Grimm attack, at his side his Pistols drafted and swayed in their Holster's, a single well placed scrape had caused the belt to hang a little loose, dancing on the precipice of falling off his waist.
But he didn't seem worried, he stood back, his vision and gaze dragged far along the side of the Cart, staring at Quad as he gave a heartfelt sigh, "Welp. Like Mom and Papa said. Should've invested in the Steel Nail's." He moaned with an uncharacteristic smile, peeling himself back as he ran a hand through his mane of hair, fingers interlocking as they ricocheted between each other with hearty cracks. Slowly he walked to the front, grabbing the two long bars, a long horse saddle and straddle clearly tucked into what appeared to be the front seat of the cart as he started to drag it along, his left side pulling most of the weight up since half of that wheel had become injured, deep black marks burnt and cindered the smell of old smoke still permeating around it.
It hadn't been long since the midterms ended, and Qiu'li was back into his usual routine of juggling new lectures, early-morning training, and completing Requests that were put up at the Request Board for the local citizens of Haven city. He enjoyed this type of routine- it was much more enjoyable than the times spent running, hiding, and hunting for food in Forever Fall, though he managed to be able to keep up with his training regiment as well as maintain his finesse in navigating the city somewhat. Qiu'li had just finished his early morning training when he saw an interesting sight cross the Quad. Various murmurs caught his attention prior, and under normal circumstances he would ignore them and head right for the Request Board before the good-paying ones were taken. Most of the murmuring were usually directed at him anyways due to his unfriendly expressions and even more unfriendly stares, only to be escalated in recent time since his match with Colton. However, his attention was drawn towards what appeared to be a single man pulling a rather sizable cart with a broken wheel on the side. Strange, indeed, but not unheard of. There were many carts that existed back in Luoya, though most were in a lot better shape than the one being pulled by this man. Strangely, though, his clothes didn't seem to match what someone who pulled carts normally dressed. Most of the time they wore robes, rags, or simply plain-clothes, not something like that. Then again, the rags and torn parts told a different story. [break] [break] Regardless, the idea that there were several onlookers who refused to help him was rather irksome. Sure, people tended to mind their own business and didn't need to stick their nose where it shouldn't be, but the fact of the matter is that the path to this city wasn't an easy one- Qiu'li confirmed it when he entered this city via airships after the tournaments months ago. This man had been diligently pulling this cart to the Academy through uneven terrain with not only his own strength, but also with a handicap of a broken wheel. To say the least, Qiu'li was impressed with his tenacity. Checking the time, it wouldn't be long until the morning Requests were put up- glancing over at the Request Board, the raven-haired man looked back at the cart-pulling man and began to approach him. Well, he made it this far, might as well lighten the load. Also, this could be a good chance for him to practice his socializing skills too! With a new face, at least there was a chance that he wouldn't be out rightly repulsed by his stare. Though err... How would he interject? Would he simply stand by and comment on the broken wheel as way to start a conversation? No, that seems silly. Perhaps talk about the weather and introduce himself? Eh... Not that helpful. Therefore, Qiu'li decided to do what he did best! [break] [break] As he knelt down to pick up the bars, Aurelian would notice a second pair of hands beside him as Qiu'li wordlessly picked up the cart beside him and pulled along. He tried to think of something to say, but all of them seemed fairly strange to say to someone he just met. Perhaps it was best to play it safe... "Market district... Has carpenters to fix wheel. Are you of origin- I mean, are you from around here?" He asked in his usual accent. At least he was able to speak a bit more clearly, if not a bit better than when he first arrived.
Fènnù (+Strength +Agility +Projectile Sword Beam) | Rank D [break] Hei Tiequán | Rank E [break] Featherfall I (Leap) | Rank D [break] Weapon Proficiency II (Martial Arts) | Rank E [break] Dance of the Wild Winds II (Acrobatics) | Rank E [break] Resilience of the Crimson Oaks II (Durability) | Rank E [break] Dragon's Roar II (Utility Tool) | Rank E
Post by Aurelian Belebast on Oct 8, 2019 0:22:11 GMT -5
Up close, his burnished orange eyes glistened and sparkled with a fired intensity, his arms flexed and formed beneath the tight fitting clothing as his words rolled out with a thick Vacuoan accent, a brow left cocked and loaded as he turned with a long smile, sharp features accentuating a strange kindness from a permanently glowered face. "Ah perfectio!" He replied in kind, his accent, tone and mannerism not quite matching up to his face, as if some strange mismatch had occurred between the two. His muscles flexed, his speed increased just a little bit.
As his pace quickened, an electric excitement buzzed and burrowed all around him, as he continued, he seemed to catch up, realizing he had missed the conversation in his idle motion and excitement for whatever strange reason. "Oh, wait you had a second part right!" He continued, catching himself up as he shook his head with idle passing, "I can't claim to be from around here. Around here is.." He paused, face screwed and scrounged as he spoke, an exacerbated breath, "Bloody whatsit..." Before a snap flared in his eyes, his unusually cruel eyes "Mistral! Mistral right?" He replied, before pulling himself back. "Well, specifically I hope it's Haven, but at this point I'll be happy to just be on the right landmass." He smiled, a long and broad smile as he continued his hike along the beaten weary path.
It didn't take long however, only breaching the cusp of the Quad that it fell apart...
Crack, Creak, Croak.
It rolled with a nasty fervor, Aurelian's face grimaced a dark and long glower as the back wheel snapped off, bits of twine and rope following suit in an explosion of thread. The Cart had croaked it, falling down with a mighty thud as Aurelain's Semblance flared, outside of him one after the other with fiery pop and a pure White appearance accentuated only with lines to distinguish features came out his clones, grabbing the wooden bars and reeling upwards to assist, two put straight on the kind newcomer, and only one to help himself as more beads flared across his scalp, the clones mostly there to make sure the Cart didn't have a full fledged explosion as the sound of trinket, odds and ends rolled and pilfered down the back of the cart, cracking against a dimsy wooden panel.
Past Aurelian's glowered glare, lips formed into a narrow line, the tiniest curvature giving the facade of a forced smile as his eyes became flat and empty of a stare. He let out a long, exacerbated wheeze. He slowly turned towards the kind man.
The man spoke weird. It was a heavy accent, one that he was vaguely familiar with. There was another student here who spoke the same way, Carmim... Was it? Perhaps it was a coincidence, though there was comfort in knowing that he, too, spoke differently from the common language here. Like men that shared some similarities, despite not knowing a single thing about each other. Regardless, Qiu'li nodded in response to his question. "Yes. Haven. This is Haven Academy. You are... Student? Professor?" He asked him. While unlikely, there was that one rather young professor that he had encountered in the past. Perhaps a replacement? As he thought about that, the next push lead to a cascade which resulted in the unfortunate accident that occurred before him. The snap and crack of the wheel.
[break] [break] There was a rollercoaster of emotions that Qiu'li felt during the following events, all the while his expression remained mostly unchanged due to this damn cursed face. Devastation from the cart falling apart, then surprise upon being introduced to the clones that appeared before him. An apparition semblance, just like that one pink-haired fellow, except this one was a bit different. They moved of their own accord instead of mimicking him. His eyes fell on Aurelian as he studied his expression, however. Strange- who would smile in a situation like this? His eyes said one thing, but his face said another. How strange, indeed. Qiu'li felt a bit of envy that he was capable of doing so, but there was something about his eyes that were... similar to his. Either way, the raven-haired man turned his head and indicated to a pathway that lead down to the district below where there was a significantly more populated area with the market in the distance. "How get this there..? Would not be easier to retrieve intact wheel for carpenter to recreate?" He asked, tilting his head. It seemed like it would be too much of a hassle at this point to keep pushing the cart for him, given how exhausted he must be, but the idea of leaving his personal belongings here...
[break] [break] "I having room here if you are in need of storage." Qiu'li offered as he looked at his pile of things. There were no policies that was aware of in terms of letting others use his room for such purposes. As far as he was concerned, it was just more empty space since he was living by himself in a place meant for two people. In addition, he hardly used his room to begin with other than for sleeping and practicing speaking. Might as well put it to good use.
Fènnù (+Strength +Agility +Projectile Sword Beam) | Rank D [break] Hei Tiequán | Rank E [break] Featherfall I (Leap) | Rank D [break] Weapon Proficiency II (Martial Arts) | Rank E [break] Dance of the Wild Winds II (Acrobatics) | Rank E [break] Resilience of the Crimson Oaks II (Durability) | Rank E [break] Dragon's Roar II (Utility Tool) | Rank E
Post by Aurelian Belebast on Oct 8, 2019 1:48:38 GMT -5
His words rolled out with tension, his vision looked and stirred at the commotion. It may have been a little past the crack of dawn, but plenty had come to see the spectacle, plenty more woke up at the sharp sound of wood crunching beneath it's own weight. Enough that Aurelian's eyes drew false ire through the crowd. His narrow lips remained stationary, his tongue darted out a little as he, pssstttt in strange contemplation. "I'm still not... Quite sure." He gave it a long while, his clones looked with muted features, their faces intermingled stares through the crowd. He waved his hand backwards and forwards. "Ahhh there wasn't anything worth taken anyway I suppose." He rebutted, he removed his hands from the cart, slowly his clones looked back and fourth, shrugging before a slow decline vanished them, starting from their feet it slowly rose, their forms vanishing as Aurelian took his hand off with mindless care.
He slapped his hands together a few times, the sound of rubber rubbing against rubber in an audible squeak as he cracked his neck, stretching long and hard as he stepped a few times in succession, his gaze long and drawn on the crowd before turning towards the Black Haired man with a fierce stare, but a soft smile. "Well, I suppose we could leave it in your place but..." He paused, taking a stride into the cart and brushing his hand against his uniform, the scratch marks left deep and dirtied, on closer inspection tiny acid pocketed and marred at the lining of the clothing, the inside of the cart wheezed beneath the shifting weight. "Eh, if someone really wants to steal this stuff... Well they definitely needed it more than me." He replied with a hearty chuckle, walking over to the man and offering a hand.
"The name is Aurelian Belebast of Vacuo, and I do believe I'm a student?"
If taken, it was a real shake, a heavy handed amount of pressure even through the glove's rubber surface, his long narrow lips drawn into a wide birthed smile as he seemed to stare through him with passionate eyes. "And what of you mystery man who, I'll be honest. Is still getting me to that Carpenter. I hope." He continued, at this point slowly receding his hand shake and putting his hands to his side, "If you would like of course!" He raised his hands, waving vigorously back and fourth, a white silhouette appeared behind him, arms followed behind like a strange shadow that always lagged a few steps behind dissipating as he stopped. "Don't need you thinking I'm the sort of man to force someone along. Already got me this far afterall." He rambled.
Qiu'li followed his gaze to the surrounding crowds that had been coming in to see the spectacle. Urgh.. He wasn't one to do well with crowds and such- attention wasn't his thing so to garner this much was a little overwhelming as he looked back out with his signature gaze. Some of the ones that recognized Qiu'li either averted their eyes or simply began to carry on with their routine in haste, as if to avoid his staredown. Not worth taking, but worth enough dragging across various landmasses with a broken wheel, no doubt. Perhaps this was his way of being considerate to Qiu'li, or perhaps he was the type to not worry about his things being taken. Regardless, Qiu'li watched as the clones dissipated while looking around. Interesting, to say the least, but his attention was redirected to the sound of the man slapping his hands together. What a... Carefree person, was the second impression that Qiu'li got out of it as he watched him inspect his personal belongings before approaching Qiu'li. He wondered just what was in the cart that he would be willing to cross several landmasses and suddenly be willing to give up here. Was it really that important or was he putting on a show? Well, he seemed the hearty type of person based on the way he simply laughed off his problems. Even Qiu'li wasn't sure that he would respond in the same way... What mental strength this man must have. [break] [break] The raven-haired man gazed at the hand that was extended to him and tilted his head. Staring at it for a bit, Qiu'li slowly recalled that this was a custom according to Shadecloak's textbook in which people greeted each other this way. The proper response was uh.... Oh right, to grasp his hand firmly and make eye contact with the other party! Right- Qiu'li stood up, clearing a whole 20 centimeters above the dark haired man and clasped his outstretched hand with his own while glaring intensely at the man whose name is Aurelian. "Qiu'li. Luoyia Village. I am student here as well. May we work hard alongside each other." He said while still holding onto his hand. The book never specified how long the handshake must go for, therefore he presumed that it must have been some reasonable predetermined amount of time. Like an hour or something. Of course, if Aurelian decided to let go sometime in between their exchange, so would he. [break] [break] Adjusting his robe with his hands once Aurelian released his grip, the raven-haired man nodded as he indicated to the direction of the market. "Carpenter is this way. Follow me." He said as he began to head out. If Aurelian decided to simply leave his things there then who was he to say that he couldn't? Either way, he would pass by the Request Board, to which he would pick out a couple of the second rate Requests before heading to the market district. Despite missing out on the first pickings of the Board to help out Aurelian, Qiu'li chalked it up to just another one of those days. At least he was able to help a stranger, now fellow classmate. [break] [break] -- [break] [break] The market was bustling per usual in the Wind District. Various clamoring of vendors and shops performing their daily routine as various students and citizens were browsing their wares. Some of the larger, well-known shops had their own buildings while there was the traditional street markets where one could hope to score a rarity for a great deal. The carpenter itself was in one of the buildings since he was a more established business- everyone always need something made out of wood, and a fine craftsman he had a reputation for. Upon passing the smaller vendors, Qiu'li was greeted by some of the people there with deals and such while others averted his gaze. Being someone who had to work constantly to be able to feed himself and save up on the common currency of Lien, the raven-haired man had taken on dozens of Requests to the point of building himself a reputation of a reliable courier. While he spoke little, he got the job done and quickly, being one of the most mobile students in the class. [break] [break] Upon entering the carpenter's shop, they were met with a display of various furniture displays, tools, and the smell of oak as a single man donning a leather apron appeared from behind a thick, wool curtain. Greeting the two of them, Qiu'li nodded to Aurelian to show him the wheel that he needed a replica of as his gaze fell on the various display items. Craftsmanship wasn't his forte, so seeing such intricate things being built impressed Qiu'li to no end.
Fènnù (+Strength +Agility +Projectile Sword Beam) | Rank D [break] Hei Tiequán | Rank E [break] Featherfall I (Leap) | Rank D [break] Weapon Proficiency II (Martial Arts) | Rank E [break] Dance of the Wild Winds II (Acrobatics) | Rank E [break] Resilience of the Crimson Oaks II (Durability) | Rank E [break] Dragon's Roar II (Utility Tool) | Rank E
Post by Aurelian Belebast on Oct 8, 2019 22:27:21 GMT -5
He gave a long smile, noticing the extended hold of his hand, he gave it a few minutes, his piercing stare matching Qiu'li of Luoyia Village. He gave it all of a few minutes, realizing that this man, was clearly more man than he was. His grip loosened, his arm recoiled but he held firm to that unflinching smile. "Ah, a fellow student! Well, can't wait to go hunting Grimm and whatnot with you Qiu'li!" He exclaimed with powerful enthusiasm.
At the mention of follow, Aurelian burst into motion, no longer bound and loaded by the weight of the cart he moved with some calm grace, a stride in his movements, a pop to his step, his vicious glare passed through the crowd even though his smile juxtaposed with a warmth like a morning sun after a cold night, it fought with his sharp inclined features. He didn't pay much attention though, instead focusing more of his attention following his guide before noticing the strange stop at the request board. It wasn't what he was use to, back in Vacuo and being Nomadic, requests were gathered by word of mouth, or at least that's what he was told, what with the lack of being a Hunter back than and even now. He took special notice of the big ones, a Geist hunt, Security one about a Dance Lesson only realizing that Qiu'li had picked up the less spectacular jobs but it wasn't his place to question what his newfound companion had desired in life.
Than it came in a sweep as he turned the corner, the fantastic display of shops lined neatly along a merchants corridor. To him it was a great Bazaar, shops littered along with wonderful displays, fruit ranging in every color of a crisp rainbow and he was pretty sure he could hear the sound off in the distance of metal being forged beneath a heavy handed swing of a hammer. "Simply... Mesmerizing..." He spoke in a soft whisper, watching as Qiu'li continued to march and strut with purposeful determination. Aurelian bounced, as if activating himself from a deep stupor taking special notice of the dichotomy of the town. Some people seemed intimidated by the stern glare and glower of the Raven-Hair glare, others seemed more than inclined to give him bargains and deals. It was odd for sure, but Aurelian once again let it pass, his mind wondering as he caught the scent of fresh sawdust, the sound of machinery left a buzz and gnawing at planks of wood and his eyes became marbled and wondered over the display of the building. Clearly he displayed skill with fervor, decorating his shop with lines and crosswork, intricate detail finely honed with immaculate care. Aurelian's voice became a soft buzz beneath his breath as he continued the pattern of following Qiu'li.
Aurelian looked to Qiu'li, "Wait, I don't have the wheel I thought you did?" Aurealian replied, a cocked head as he looked between the duo than sighed, "Ah well. No point running back now I suppose to go grab it just to make me way back here." He rambled on,he walked over to some of the wood worked products that the craftsman had made, he rubbed his barren chin, crossing his legs as he walked around the room, looking over a few of the products before talking. "Should probably get an idea of whatcha price is? I'm a little low on funds to be honest. Wasted most of my money getting to Atlas." He replied, he placed a foot against the ground, a long winding motion as his body rolled onn his foot as an axis point, looking to the Craftsman in question, "What'd be the price of a wheel about two feet in Diameter? Need's to be about four inches thick as well. Preferably using Iron Nails." He specified, a somewhat absent knowledge seeming to flow from him with ease. "I cannot specify more that it would be best to be Iron. I used copper ones getting here. I think that's what did it in. Couldn't handle the heat or acid." He continued, rambling on as he turned to look at the wood work quality.
The energy radiating out of this man was rather overwhelming, but not something that he wasn't used to. Though the beaming smile reminded him of a certain blonde-haired ball of sunlight, his eyes said something else, which was still a bit unsettling. Then again, it was also comforting to know that he wasn't the only one who had a similar problem. He nodded in response to Aurelian as he made his way down. "You... Hunt Grimm before, too?" He asked him after they had arrived in the market. He was more or less distracted at the time trying to remember where the carpenter's shop was. He doesn't visit very many places other than the food markets for the purpose of purchasing non-perishable food items and other easily stored foods like bread. Regardless, his attention shifted briefly to Aurelian as he studied his mesmerized expressions of the market. The raven-haired man could barely hear what the sharp-faced man had said, but he nodded slowly in agreement as they proceeded through the market. "I agree." Qiu'li murmured. He reacted almost exactly the same way he did upon arrival. There was a small market back in Luoya, but it was almost minuscule compared to the one here. Full of life and energy with some music playing somewhere in the background as it became muffled out upon entering the workshop. [break] [break] Qiu'li blinked at Aurelian as he realized the mistake they had made. Damnit. He even told him that they needed the wheel and somehow they had forgotten. Damn. Either way, the puzzled carpenter threw out a price, though it seemed rather pricey given the materials needed and the vagueness of the description for commission. Qiu'li wasn't sure whether or not he could afford it, frankly, though his short time here forced him to understand the concept of Lien and their exact worth in the market. Of course he'd have to learn and adapt quickly, less he gets ripped off by some of the more less-than-reputable vendors, which he had plenty of experiences with. Thankfully, the carpenter was no such man, but the question was, could he even afford that price? Checking his money pouch, Qiu'li had a comfortable amount saved for emergencies hidden under his bed while the rest was for himself to buy his own personal things. He never had much to begin with, but a nice new pair of robes would have been nice. Gazing at the pouch at back at the situation at hand, the raven-haired man recalled a certain black-haired man swathed in tattered robes meditating on a nearby rock. [break] [break] "Let not material possessions weigh you down, and extend kindness when you see fit, Qiu'li." [break] [break] Perhaps this was one of those situations..? Those err... 'Good Samaritan' acts or such. He didn't fully understand the concept, but what he understood was that to help someone in need when possible is a sign of progress towards strength, and if that was the case... [break] [break] Qiu'li stepped forward and opened his Lien pouch, holding out a handful of coins. "I help assist in pay. You can pay me back later, no? Perhaps something from your car that you consider 'not worth taking?' It wasn't like he had a sizable amount of Lien to throw around by any stretch of the imagination. In fact, his plans for getting a new robe would probably be off-set for quite a while to recuperate that amount. Then again, what's a piece of fabric compared to helping someone right now? At the very least, the quicker this process would go and the sooner they would be finished. [break] [break] The raven-haired man gave Aurelian a look of insistence upon offering it. It wasn't like it was some kind of pity case. Like how his Master took him in and taught him how to live despite gaining no benefit from it, Qiu'li would do the same and show the same type of kindness. It was only natural for a follower of the Monk Sattota, after all.
Fènnù (+Strength +Agility +Projectile Sword Beam) | Rank D [break] Hei Tiequán | Rank E [break] Featherfall I (Leap) | Rank D [break] Weapon Proficiency II (Martial Arts) | Rank E [break] Dance of the Wild Winds II (Acrobatics) | Rank E [break] Resilience of the Crimson Oaks II (Durability) | Rank E [break] Dragon's Roar II (Utility Tool) | Rank E
Post by Aurelian Belebast on Oct 9, 2019 19:52:36 GMT -5
He smiled curtly at the remark, a long winded sigh about Grimm. "Personally? No." His words rolled with a partial monotone flatness and a forced vibrancy, "But than again, I can't imagine it's easy for a Sheep to learn how to kill a lion."
He paused, looking tot he generous offering and to the price tag the master craftsman had given. t was true, Aurelian was a broken and busted man. He was about as rich as his cart was fixed. "I mean. Qiu'li, I don't want to put you in that position." Aurealian pouted, walking back and fourth pacing in contemplation.
One, two, three, four steps pause. Turn.
One, two, three, four steps pause. Turn.
One, two three, four steps pause. Turn.
"I don't have anything of... Maybe he'd be able to us... Trinket's? Odd's and End's that sorta thing..." He spoke in a mumble, the Craftsman gaze watching and following the odd man that didn't seem to enjoy being in the one spot for long. He finally came to a halt, his hand cupped in his other as it was brought down like a hammer to an anvil. He looked at Qiu'li, a narrowed lips mile-long smile, "I've got it! I can give you the Lucky Nail!" He stated, turning around and pulling out a small Iron Nail out of a rather small black pouch on his belt, "Forgot I had this lil' bugger." He rambled, his piecing glare looking at the nail, than to Qiu'li, to the nail, Qiu'li and so on.
An... Iron nail. It was an iron nail. It was about the length of his finger, straight and pointed with flat end. Rather, less of a nail, it was more of a spike if anything. Qiu'li tilted his head questioningly as he observed the man withdraw it from the small black pouch that rested against his belt. His gaze fell on 'Lucky Nail' as he picked it up and examined it. In every sense of the word, it was a simple spike to his eyes. Whether or not the name that he gave it was relevant to it's value, the raven-haired man simply stared at it. The initial refusal was met with some hesitance followed by pacing. The entire time, Qiu'li and the carpenter merely watched him as he kicked up small amounts of sawdust when turning to pace back and forth. He picked up some of his mumbling, but not enough to make any comprehensible sense of it. As he finished inspecting the spike as if it were some kind of rare jewel, Qiu'li stopped and stared at Aurelian. [break]
[break] He tried to interpret the meaning of this item. Was it something of equal value to a bag of Lien? Was it more? Did it hold some kind of sentimental value to him? Perhaps it was the type of currency that he used in this land called Vacuo. Probably not- since the difference between a coin of Lien and an iron spike was so stark. Therefore, Qiu'li could only make one conclusion: It was a sign of friendship. [break]
[break] In one of his pouches, Qiu'li keeps a special pack of black stones that he had collected over time growing up in Forever Fall. They all shared the same characteristics: Charcoal black, smooth to the touch, and shiny when put against sunlight. They were rare finds for him, and it was something to occupy his mind with the constant need of survival. Qiu'li had grown attached to these stones, and often used them for bartering when he still lived in the village. However, things were different here. These stones had no value, except to himself. They reminded him of home, and so he only gave them to people that he trusted (or make a monetary exchange with, dual purposes and all). Therefore, this must be a similar case, Qiu'li decided. He wouldn't ask about what made it special, or why he would call it 'lucky'. Quite frankly, the raven-haired man never truly understood the concept of 'luck,' but rather the idea that the Spirits were constantly watching, and one would have gained the favor of a Spirit to be granted great fortune. [break]
[break] After several minutes of staring at the spike, Qiu'li pocketed it in his pouch to indicate that he would accept this token of friendship with gratitude. "I will treasure this." He said to Aurelian with a slight bow of the head before meeting his eyes once more. With a baffled look, the carpenter merely looked at the set of coins, counted his commission, and left the remainder for Qiu'li to scoop up before giving Aurelian a rough estimate of the time it would take to complete the wheel, which would be completed by sundown. Once the transaction was complete, the raven-haired man turned to Aurelian and folded his arms. "Should we begin storing your valuables?" Qiu'li asked him.
Fènnù (+Strength +Agility +Projectile Sword Beam) | Rank D [break] Hei Tiequán | Rank E [break] Featherfall I (Leap) | Rank D [break] Weapon Proficiency II (Martial Arts) | Rank E [break] Dance of the Wild Winds II (Acrobatics) | Rank E [break] Resilience of the Crimson Oaks II (Durability) | Rank E [break] Dragon's Roar II (Utility Tool) | Rank E
Post by Aurelian Belebast on Oct 10, 2019 3:21:15 GMT -5
He smiled, the extension of time and looks was a bit off, but he wasn't one to complain. So far this Raven-Haired man seemed a little out of it, extended handshakes, a blazing monotone and a rather aggressive stare that could pierce the heaves and make the gods themselves cringe. Sorta like his own eternal glazed stare. The off comment about treasuring it always however, threw him off, he looked back and fourth, eyes paced and scanned the room before landing back on him. "I'm... Glad you will treat it with the care it deserves." He finally replied, his words seeming to flow with hesitance as there was a tiny nudge of his head, cocked to the side in the slightest curve as he peeled back another smirk in kind.
Aurelian in the back of is mind counted the number of passed coins, making a note of it to pay them in full when he got the coin. Only to pause to hear the finish time. Aurelian's smile simmered and popped, for a second a frown, than a smirk than ended with a long narrow line. His words came out as a whimper, a long trudged and drawn out complaint, hie eyes seeming to water and fizzle. "Damnit... I... I just wanted to grab the wheel, get to Haven and finally sleep..." He forced out as a whimper, head hung low and down, his arms swung like tapped swing sets.
He slowly dragged his face up, the speckles of tears forced and accentuated at his Burnished eyes, he gave a curt nod, "Yea... Let's go get my ration's..." He replied, long, drawn out and dry in his words as his back levied itself hunched he quickly made an effort for the door, peeling it open as tiny freckles of sawdust pilfered and dragged their ways outside with the gust of motion, Aurelian stood, peeling himself back waiting for Qiu'li to take the lead once more. "You'll need to lead. I still have no idea where I'm going in this township." He continued deflated.
It was less about the natural value of the nail, and more or less the assumed value that was behind it. Who in their right mind would simply carry around a nail spike? At least, that was the logic that Qiu'li was using as he graciously accepted it and stored it in his pouch. Perhaps he would put it to use somehow, or fashion it into a necklace to wear as a keepsake. Either way, the raven-haired man nodded in acknowledgement to his response before he turned back to the carpenter to hear the estimated time. However, his eyes gleamed a bit as they shifted to study Aurelian. It transitioned from one of happiness to one of dismay- guess that was a problem in it's own entirety, though his phrase threw the raven-haired man slightly. "Aurelian... You are already at Haven." He scratched his head. "Or are you of assumption that you need to complete the admittance process?" Qiu'li tilted his head slightly as he folded his arms. He couldn't quite understand what was ailing him aside from the long time it would take, though at the very least he would have a place to store his valuables. In regards to where to put the cart... Was it even possible to fit it through the door? He gave a perplexed look as he followed Aurelian's gaze and nodded. [break]
[break] What a complicated man. Then again, he wasn't one to talk, as his own lack of variable facial expressions has caused more issues in the past than he could count. The cold air of Haven's Wind District hit them again as the raven-haired man took the lead and pointed to him the various landmarks of the the market as well as the pathway to lead back to the Academy, where they came from. At the very least, he could navigate himself eventually once he established the connection. [break]
[break] -- [break]
[break] Upon returning to the Academy campus, Qiu'li saw the cart was still there- whether or not it remained untouched was up to Aurelian's own perceptive eye and ability to keep an inventory over his possessions, but the fact of the matter is that they needed to move it out of the Quad. The good news is that his dorm wasn't terribly far away. The downside was that they had to drag this cart somehow without a wheel. His jobs were primarily involved in courier work, but he couldn't tell just exactly how much stuff there was. Unless... Well. That was an idea, though he was cautious about it. Using his semblance like this could be problematic for the rest of the day, but it'll be done in a trip or two if it was done well. Qiu'li leaned against the worn, wooden cart as he waited for the dark-haired man to check on this possessions. As soon as Aurelian was finished taking an inventory, Qiu'li would speak up. "How much your possessions weigh..?" He asked him as he reached behind his lower back. From there, he drew out two, dark metallic tonfas and began to twirl them, spinning and rotating them in his hands before catching the long ends against his forearms and locking them into place against his arms in a display of spins.
Fènnù (+Strength +Agility +Projectile Sword Beam) | Rank D [break] Hei Tiequán | Rank E [break] Featherfall I (Leap) | Rank D [break] Weapon Proficiency II (Martial Arts) | Rank E [break] Dance of the Wild Winds II (Acrobatics) | Rank E [break] Resilience of the Crimson Oaks II (Durability) | Rank E [break] Dragon's Roar II (Utility Tool) | Rank E
Post by Aurelian Belebast on Oct 12, 2019 22:24:13 GMT -5
He looked to Qiu'li, he looked with pierced eyes and a defeated frown. "No... No I phrased it poorly..." He replied with a shake of his head hands dragged down longways across his face, "I more or less mean I wanted to get here and sleep... I've been stuck sleeping on a wooden plank for the past few weeks now..." He whined, long and dragged out as he walked out the front door, the showering and speckled light a warmth he sorely needed as he slumped and dragged himself onward, back to his cart to gather his things before carrion pickers pecked and fed at his few possessions.
Though, it seemed luck had favored him, his Cart seemed malicious. A few glares but the stinking smell of smoke and marred marks kept people well enough away. Smart. He thought to himself, his gaze dragged through the crowd before he got to his Cart and slumped a little over, taking note of his possessions as he unlocked a small box with a hand. The padlock had been broken, the metal link melted and simmered through with acidic marks. He slipped it open and pulled himself from his cart, the heavy box lounged and banged on the ground as he checked, an open display to all.
"Let's see here..." He mused, visibly showing what he brought along. Inside was a burnt bedroll, a mess kit with a hole scorched into the center, a Tinderbox with emphasis on tinder, a series of empty food packets, waterskin that's skin seemed warped and bubbled and three changes of clothing. All completely ruined. "Yeap. That seems about right." He quickly tucked it all back into his chest as he pounced back into his cart, grabbing his severed and torn uniform and pulling it down form it's hanger. At this point he seemed too tired.
He sat at the edge of his cart and looked to Qiu'li. Not sure what the Tonfa's have to do with this. He thought to himself before answering the question, "Light enough that a Horse and Cart can carry it. Light enough still that either one of us could." There was that at least. Some semblance of a small smile, "Us Vacuoan's aren't exactly inclined for heavy stuff." He clarified.
Qiu'li nodded with understanding upon the clarification as he made sure that Aurelian followed behind. For someone with a fierce face, this one tended to complain a lot. Then again, he had no particular opinion about that. For someone who had seemingly wandered various lands to eventually stumble to his destination while pulling a cart of that size intended for an animal has every right to complain about finding a soft bed to sleep. "Wooden plank? I see... When growing up, I use to sleep in hammocks. Only thing I had to worry was falling from high up." He commented as he watched Aurelian inspected his cart. The raven-haired man simply stopped and watched him retrieve what seemed to be a small container filled with various items that consisted of essential tools for nomadic living. Interesting, to say the least. He had seen some of these items being sold at the marketplaces in the Wind District, such as the tinderbox and metallic mess kit. He'd probably ask about them later when he had the chance, but for now, he began to stretch and perform his usual morning routine of light jumps. "I will guide to a place of sleep. Help push if you can." [break]
[break] Gazing forward with an intense glare, Qiu'li raised Hei Tiequán into the air above his head and let out a spirited shout before tilting his head back a bit and lunge his head forward. At the same time, the raven-haired man swung his tonfas backwards and struck his own back with a thunderous 'whack,' causing a significant chunk of his Aura to be wiped out. At the same time, he let out a deep exhale upon impact and pulled his sleeves back quickly. Just one more hit... As if he were in a rhythmic trance, Qiu'li raised his arms up once more and let out another yell before striking himself again. He was breathing heavily from the strikes, feeling his Aura drop once more. As the raven-haired man hunched over, his skin started to turn purple.. Exceedingly so. As if he were being strangled or robbed of oxygen, his entire body turned a dark purplish hue and his veins were very pronounced on the surface. At the same time, steam began to radiate from his body in such a way that it looked like clouds of smoke escaping from an outdoor ventilation hole. [break]
[break] Upon the final strike, Qiu'li turned to the cart and grabbed hold of the bars that Aurelian was grasping onto for the duration of this journey. If it were under normal circumstances, moving the cart in this state would be futile, but in his enhanced form... The raven-haired man was situated right in the middle of the bar and held the bar between his hands. With a deep inhale, he clutched the bar tightly and lifted the entire cart in such a way that the back two wheels were being used while the front two... Err one, was suspended in the air slightly. The wooden cart creaked and groaned heavily. Qiu'li didn't know how much durability it had left, but he would rather not chance it by waiting around. Immediately he took a step forward... Then two, then three. His newfound strength allowed him to pull the cart at a reasonable pace, though it was still quite heavy considering it was usually made for horses to pull. Regardless, the raven-haired man would pull it through the Quad and towards the dormitory area with hopefully, the assistance of Aurelian to make this journey just a bit quicker. [break]
Fènnù (+Strength +Agility +Projectile Sword Beam) | Rank D [break] Hei Tiequán | Rank E [break] Featherfall I (Leap) | Rank D [break] Weapon Proficiency II (Martial Arts) | Rank E [break] Dance of the Wild Winds II (Acrobatics) | Rank E [break] Resilience of the Crimson Oaks II (Durability) | Rank E [break] Dragon's Roar II (Utility Tool) | Rank E
Post by Aurelian Belebast on Oct 15, 2019 7:23:02 GMT -5
He gave a weak smile, lips parted just an inch to showoff his pearly whites, which were more a shade of off white than actually pearly. "So you got Hammocks?" He replied politely, a faux locking of his chest as he tossed it into the back of his cart, he looked down defeated, a long drawn out breath. "Just a..." He paused, this time a sharp inhale through his nostrils a flare of energy pumped into him, "Right! Just a..." He gulped exhaling heavily as he grabbed the stick of his cart, "Just another hour at most and we get to finally sleep!" His semblance flared, slowly jumping out of him his clones appeared again, each one walking around to grab a side of the cart, two on the rear side with the busted wheels, two more at the front propping it up with strained muscles. Each one of them revealed a little of his true state, completely and utterly wrecked, his Aura snapping and crackling to maintain the quadruplets.
Of course. They dissipated right quick.
He wasn't ready. But it started to add up the motion of the Tonfa's, the bouncing up and down. In those moments before they dissipated horror mixed with Awe stripped and straddled the faces of his clones, his pierced eyes glared with confusion his fingers lost grip on his bar, watching the mass of brutal meat and ripped purple skin take control. He took a step back, watching with breath taken fear. It passed for a few seconds, watching him drag it along before a wicked smile creased and slipped along his face. He nodded to himself, words were futile, as what he assumed was still Qiu'li passed him, he went to the back of the cart, hands braced the rough wood, his muscles flexed what little they could and he pressed forward, aiding what little he could. Emphasis on the little. His arms swelled with pain, more sweat formed at his brow as an off smile formed at his lips. He watched the hulking monstrosity, he felt it's strength shaking the cart. So than... This is your Semblance... He thought to himself, fingers never waning, motion never stopped. He pushed with every fiber of effort he could.