[Chloro Smoke]

we are the lost and the silent    tags: Ruqa Reyes   WHERE THE SKIES END -- STARSET  outfit: As described words: 424/424 Even through all of Bianca's convincing and persuading, it did take Chloro another few days before she made the decision to return back to Haven. Putting in her "notice" of her return, she made several trips via motorbike to her temporary hideout and back so she could transport all her belongings, which had turned out to be an incredible amount. Despite all the junk she created, she also had managed to create some other useful tools and gadgets as well, even if they were low quality in terms of other tech she dismantled for it. Things like grenades, tripmines, gas bombs, all helped and added to her usefulness of being sneaky and slippery. Additions to her motorbike had been made, as well as the repairs from the Dust Ward Killer incident too, namely a name that was sprayed onto the back of the bike, in slick green typography it read "Misha". Once the final parts were lugged back to the room, she took her staff and walked around the campus to see if there was anything bright and new around. It didn't take all too long to find something bright and new. Whilst it was something that was bright and new, it was attached to a person, a girl inparticular. She didn't recognise said girl, so maybe she was new but she had cybernetics. It was four arms, two pairs that were attached to her shoulders. It looked freakish and horribly unnatural, but she couldn't help but be drawn to them. It was such high quality resources and manufacturing, it could absolutely be something she could use to gain a bigger understanding and further her own research into cybernetics of her own. She had to touch them, feel them, dismantle and piece together them. She NEEDED too. Although, outside of Bianca and Berwyn who kind of forced them to interact, she was completely inept at talking to others. So, she decided on something stupid. She wrote a note down in her notepad and tore the page out and folded it into a paper plane. It was haphazard at best but it was only flying a short distance. Once she took aim and threw, she used her trait to disappear from sight, blending very well into the surroundings and creeping up on the girl, so she could get in earshot of her. The note on the plane read "You have fascinating tech strapped to you, would you mind me taking a look? Personal research reasons, and just call out yes or no, I'll hear you." ♚ Made by SYLVIA of SA and GS ♚

[Ruqa Reyes]

It appeared that it was going to be just like another other day in Haven compared to the events of last week with everything that had been going on in the outskirts of the city. People from all walks of life were trying to reclaim a sense of normality and the academy was the same. Everything appeared fine on the surface but despite it all, for some reason, Ruqa had been getting some insanely bad vibes all around her all week. She couldn't point a finger on what exactly it was but she couldn't shake the feeling that someone was doing something weird behind her back and she didn't like that.

It made her feel a bit nervous to be honest, not that she would ever let it show on her face. She had to keep a cool head or else people might start to think she was slipping.

She took a deep breath and felt better already. She was just being superstitious after all, right?

The huntress turns her head just in time to see an inconspicuous paper plane neatly fly over to her, gently soaring past her shoulder. Surprised but curious, Ruqa speeds up her pace to snatch the plane before it hits the ground, taking care not to crumple it's shape.

What was this? A note from secret admirer? A letter of challenge? Perhaps it was a message containing a secret code that someone decided was for her eyes only. She wouldn't know until she actually sees for herself so Ruqa unfurls the damn thing and read whatever message is on it.

Huh. Funny that. It seemed that her first guess was right. Yay?

It was an admirer but not for the reason a girl might have hoped. Whatever this person's intentions were, they were solely interested in the mechanical bits and bobs rather than the person attached to them. On one hand, Ruqa might have found it flattering if it wasn't so blunt about wanting to study her. On the other hand it might be nice to talk to someone about her prosthetic gifts. On the other hand she was not in the mood to talk about her prosthetic gifts. On the last and final hand, Ruqa conceded she wanted to know who this note came from so responding seemed like a good idea.

Putting a hand on her hip, she yells out to no one in particular:

"Alright come out. I won't bite. I just want to talk."

---

WC: 413
Ruqa Colour Hex: 54e1fb

[Chloro Smoke]

we are the lost and the silent    tags: Ruqa Reyes   WHERE THE SKIES END -- STARSET  outfit: As described words: 420/844 She kept her pace slow and deliberate as she circled the girl she admitted to kinda stalking. Yet, she wasn't sure on those implications just yet, so she kept on circling like a shark circling prey. Watching, waiting. Her camoflague trait has been honed down so fine that no student, no, no TEACHER could ever find her without extensive work into doing so. This was her specialty. Stealth was an art she honed, and would make sure to keep ontop of even if she wasn't great at anything else. The concert prep made sure of that. Eventually, as she made her third pace to the girls front cone of vision, she heard the voice call out. The girl wanted to talk, and wouldn't bite. That was progress! Really good progress as well. She would advance on the girl at a steady pace, as her body began to reappear at different parts as she dropped concentration on her chameleon trait. Wearing a baggy hoodie, long jeans and raggy trainers, as well as her dark green mask to cover up to her nose, along with red eyes that would "seem" friendly enough outside of her permanent scowl she had on would peak out from under her pulled up hood. In one hand she had her bo staff and in the other, her scroll which she was already typing away on. Once she reached the girl, she held out her scroll to read. "I apologise from the bluntness of my message, I'm not good with conversation and people. I'm mute. Name's Chloro." She would let the girl take the scroll if she wanted, and would give a small head bow whether she took it or not. She would be a good foot smaller, maybe a bit taller compared to this new girl and upon closer inspection, horrifically skinnier than this other girl, incredibly emaciated. Absentmindedly, she would pick out some beef jerkey from her time on her own over the past few weeks which she would pull her mask down and chew on a few pieces to sate the growling from her stomach. Once done, she covered her mouth and nose again, making sure to keep her wounds more hidden. "I'm trying to create something for myself and your cybernetics are of much higher quality than anything I've made. I'd like to learn from them so I can further my own solution to my problems. Of course, if you say no, I shall leave you be, or I won't bring it up again." ♚ Made by SYLVIA of SA and GS ♚

[Ruqa Reyes]

Ruqa had brought her casual stroll to a camel's pace, now focused on finding whoever was possibly stalking her. Paying a greater sense of attention to her surroundings, Ruqa moves as though she’s going to miss something lurking in the mid-afternoon shadows.

That turns out to be a saving grace as someone suddenly appears in front of her, literally.

A person--a girl-- materialized out of thin air and Ruqa has to back up a little to avoid running over her. She just stares, mind boggled at seeing someone in the same spot where there was no one.

Thinking of all the possibilities of what that could have been the most obvious answer was a semblance. What kind, Ruqa couldn’t be sure but she hazard a guess between teleportation or invisibility. Perhaps more so the latter because sudden physical manifestations couldn't throw paper airplanes but invisible spooks could.

While the casual display of an invisibility semblance was impressive enough, the girl herself was not so. Dressed in baggy sweats, the girl looked like a junior student that didn’t know how to dress themself or an apathetic senior that didn’t care enough to try. Ruqa supposed that if you could hide yourself completely it didn't really matter what kind of clothing you wore. If she wanted to go invisible all dressed in her pajamas then that was her business.

Ruqa makes confused glances between the scroll and the girl warily but resigns herself to reading the message.

Huh. Turns out the whole secret message thing was a convoluted conversation starter. Bit of an odd person, not that Ruqa was one to talk (although in this case, she kind of was).

Apparently, this girl was mute which Ruqa hesitantly believed because it didn't seem like the polite thing to question. Whether it was a voluntary vow of silence thing or something medical wasn't a topic Ruqa cared to bring up. Going on about it was bit too obvious for Ruqa to point out so, in the end, she didn't.

"You decided that you needed to send me a paper airplane message while also using your invisibility semblance because you aren't good at conversations? ...Sure. Why not? Appology accepted." Ruqa decides bluntly. "Although next time you'd be better of telling me to my face. Just a thought~"

"Chloro... like Chlorine?" Ruqa tests the name on her tounge, a bit confused. Maybe she wasn't thinking about this in the right way but she had to wonder: did this girl name herself after a chemical they santize indoor pools with?

Was it rude if she didn't pronounce it right? How would Ruqa even know to sound it out without someone to actually tell her? It didn't help that there was a possibility that Ruqa might be butchering this girl's name at this very moment but she had to make the effort to at least making a genuine attempt.

The girl pulls her mask down to chow down on some jerky which seened really well deserved considering that the girl looked really skinny for a huntress. Most she knew were well built, and superhumanly healthy, although Aegle came to mind so it wasn't always the case. Ruqa doesn't interrupt Chloro from eating because to be fair, Ruqa had messed up eating habits too so she had no place to judge diets.

"Chloro... I getcha," says Ruqa, eyebrow cocked. "So what you're telling me, Chloro, is that you want to study me, well not me but the prosthetics on me?"

"You think figuring out how they work will help you find out something that will help you answer your problems," repeats Ruqa as she undergoes a short interrogation. "If it's not too personal, what kind of problems? From what I see you got both arms. You're not planning on using this tech for, uh, evil, right? Would look bad on my brother if someone found technology belonging to him at a crime scene y'know?"

While Ruqa hadn't asked Cassander about giving other people his intellectual property, in the end he acknowledged that other people needed to know how to fix Ruqa if her arm ever broke down. If someone was going to borrow ideas after seeing Ruqa, that was something out of their control. While technically Ruqa still had the option to say no, she was still curious about what Chloro had planned.

"So yeah I'd mostly be up for it. Just gotta know one last thing," Ruqa suddenly leans over Chloro, using that extra height to tower over her all while bearing a rather sinister grin.

"What do ~I~ get in return? Hmmm?"

WC: 769/1179
Ruqa Colour Hex: 54e1fb

[Chloro Smoke]

we are the lost and the silent    tags: Ruqa Reyes   WHERE THE SKIES END -- STARSET  outfit: As described words: 434/1278 It seemed Chloro gave the girl a bit of a spook when she appeared. It was a good reaction nonetheless, she wanted that to be the intended reaction. Any relapse in thought and reactions can give someone the upper hand in a fight. Despite the odd starter to this interaction, this girl accepted the apology and continued talking for a bit, saying with Ruqa it would be better to just walk up to her and talk. A note for next time possibly, she could try that and if people get antsy she can just disappear and duck out of the situation entirely. When she pronounced her name, Chloro gave a thumbs up, and whilst yes it was like Chlorine, that wasn't the reason. Then, Ruqa came back with questions of her own, which were well warrented. If this brother of hers was an important official somewhere, not having such tech traced back to crime scenes makes sense. Well, if there was a crime scene anyway. Chloro smirked under her mask at the thought before she began writing a response on her scroll. No need to hide ill intentions when there is none after all, what's the harm? Checking over her message once more before handing it over for a read, she relaxed a little once the scroll left her hand. "My problem is the inability to speak. Voice box was torn open when I was little and with the advancement of tech in the world, maybe there's some possibility I can create something that binds with the remains to form some basic speech." She accompanied this with a brief glimpse of her neck, which was a fresh horror wound in the second that was given. Taking the scroll back, Ruqa then smirked rather wickedly and leant over Chloro. She was dwarfed in comparision, but she was used to such situations. Many who were bigger than Ruqa had fallen to Chloro's tricks, maybe Ruqa was the same. What she would get in return though? She pondered for a moment before typing a few more words on her scroll and handing it to the girl. "Potential upgrades and tuning?" She wasn't wrong in her words though. If she could study and understand the prostetics and what they can do, as well as what they're capable of, there is no end to what she could modify, upgrade, fine tune and fix. These were becoming more and more likely that this project was the one to make her major breakthrough. The more she could tinker with such high quality materials, components and electronics, the faster she could learn. ♚ Made by SYLVIA of SA and GS ♚

[Ruqa Reyes]

Ruqa's stare softened as she got a glimpse of what injuries Chloro had on her neck. It was an old wound, something that had years to heal over into it's present form. Someone must have tried to help heal Chloro and stop the bleeding but there was obviously permanent damage done. Neck wounds were not injuries easily recovered from and it must have been some miracle that Chloro survived it at all.

There was a story behind that but Ruqa wouldn't pry. It was hard enough trying to get to meet strangers without them feeling entitled to hearing your oh so tragic backstory when they notice something was off about you. It got old explaining to people, especially to those that didn't truly care. Yet if Chloro felt comfortable enough to show her old wound to Ruqa, someone she had just met, then she felt that maybe the sometimes-invisible girl might just decide to give the rest of that story on her own volition.

Of course, Ruqa was starting to realize, giving Chloro the opportunity study her up close would open herself up to that same kind of vulnerability too. She had to wonder was if she really willing to lay her soul bare to this stranger.

She could, if she wanted too.

Ruqa doesn't linger on those thoughts as Chloro pulls the bandages back in place.

"Ah a new voice box huh... that sounds far and away a lot more complicated than what I can offer but I suppose modern prosthetics could be an answer to your prayers," Ruqa responds, crossing her arms.

"I can't make any promises that studying me will be any useful because that's, like, an entirely different body part," she admits plainly with a useless smile. "But if you want to try to find inspiration in me then feel free to look as much as you like~"

Ruqa's eyebrow quirks up as soon as the other girl mentions making adjustments to Mantis Brachius.

"Upgrades huh? You think you can improve on ~The Ruqa Reyes~??" the azul huntress challenges, dropping that title as though she expects to be recognized.

"Is that what I'm hearing? Not sure if you have what it takes. I'm top of the line babyyyy, I'm cutting edge tech~." she says with obsurd levels cockyness.

"Women want me. Engineers fear me. I make Atlessian robots look like they are toasters girl"

Ruqa snaps her fingers sharply and gives Chloro a look. "You haven't gotten a clue what I'm built out of so why don't you learn a little more about me before you go out saying you could do better, hah?"

The huntress smile grows larger which is the first sign that she's come up with a terrific idea. This does not always end well for those involved.

"I've got an idea. Before you bring out the screwdrivers and solder boards you really have got to know what I'm capable of. I'm designed to fight so the best way to learn about me is to fight me."

She gestures behind her shoulder, pointing in the direction of the training arena.

"You're a huntress-in-training like me, right Invis? Why don't we go one for one in a light spar. I'll show you ~all~ my tricks that I've gotten hidden under my sleeves," says Ruqa, throwing out her arms theatrically.

"So how about it? I'll let you tinker on me afterward. Just give me a good challenge." she says, smiling in anticipation. This was as much a new source of amusement as it was a test for Chloro. What would she do when faced with a new challenge? Would this girl shy away from Ruqa's burning hot spirit, and escape into invisibility without getting the insight into prosthetics like she wanted? Or was she willing to get her hands dirty and take her on for a fight just for the opportunity to take Ruqa apart to see how she ticks.

---

WC: 655/ TWC: 1834
Colour Hex: 54e1fb