rave
/rav/
verb
1. talk wildly or incoherently, as if one were delirious or insane.
2. speak or write about someone or something with great enthusiasm or admiration.
Hippy
hip·pie
/ˈhipē/
noun
(especially in the 1960s) a person of unconventional appearance, typically having long hair, associated with a subculture involving a rejection of conventional values and the taking of hallucinogenic drugs.
life
/līf/
noun
1. the condition that distinguishes animals and plants from inorganic matter, including the capacity for growth, reproduction, functional activity, and continual change preceding death.
"the origins of life"
2. the existence of an individual human being or animal.
3. a particular type or aspect of people's existence
4. the period between the birth and death of a living thing, especially a human being.
5. vitality, vigor, or energy.
6. (in art) the depiction of a subject from a real model, rather than from an artist's imagination.
Magic
mag·ic
/ˈmajik/
noun
1. the power of apparently influencing the course of events by using mysterious or supernatural forces.
2. mysterious tricks, such as making things disappear and appear again, performed as entertainment.
3. a quality that makes something seem removed from everyday life, especially in a way that gives delight.
4. something that has a delightfully unusual quality.
mag·ic
adjective
1. used in magic or working by magic; having or apparently having supernatural powers.
~Plot Stuff~
Hundreds and hundreds of years ago, there existed an otherworldly arcane essence that existed by the name of Magic/Magick. This essence was a variety of things. Lush and in great abundance, full of life and a energy that science had become a pale reflection of in the years that followed. However, it was also an essence that harbored a wicked face as well, bound to attract misfortune and death to all who were able to understand and or obtain it if not tamed properly. The secrets of this essence falling into the wrong hands would bring nothing but catastrophe.
And catastrophe it brought, those hundreds a years ago. One that thrust magic into an era in which it had began to fade and a new form of energy created at the hands of man became the new. The world in which magic had come from became a myth, magic itself became a myth as time progressed and left it to fade and never be seen again.
Or perhaps....what isn't seen isn't truly gone. And perhaps...the world thought to be myth is much more than just so. But what is certain is that what has lurked in the veils of shadows within the darkness, behind illusions of people, places and things. Forces that had managed to slip into the ages of the new world. Those of good. Those of evil and malice. Those of...magic. And perhaps...hope. But...will the newest of generations derived from those hundreds of years be able to face what comes?
And so we fly ahead in time to the present, where villages have become cities of tall structures, and dreams of flight have become a reality.
"Man, that's an awfully famous question huh? Of course in 'Raven La Roux", but just call me Roux, man. Like it isn't that hard —"
"...Why?" Edgar asked with a weird feeling.
"Because that's my name, the hell do you mean why?" Roux said with a lifted eyebrow at him. But then makes s face. "You should really cover that up."
Edgar wouldn't admit it, but hearing that from Raven of all people kind of stung after their heart to heart. It made him asked in an annoyed way as he spoke, "Whatta you want kid? And can you not with the extra please? Not right now."
"I was just kidding, damn guy," Roux chuckled. "Well, I don't want anything in specific. I actually want to give, like you know. I've been doing the entire time."
Galiah looked to Roux with a bit of caution, especially since she was still unsure just who she was and how close to Raven she actually was. Even more so when she would hear Edgar's response. But she knew that she wasn't a threat to any of the Keepers. Even still however, she remained in between Roux and Edgar before she would ask, "What would that be?"
"A promise." Roux's answer was rather simplistic as she turned and kicked her feet out across the seat, her own mug of coffee made by Sammy being moved up to her lips, and she gave a loud sip.
Edgar was confused now, and it made him more impatient than usual. "What? Raven what are you even talking about?"
Roux looked at him, but she wasn't grinning or smiling anymore. "Your magic." She said. "It's gettin' pretty bad right? And we only got one person that we know of that can fix that, right?"
"Yeah...how do you k—"
"So imma get her ass, and drag her back by her teeth if I have to, which, not gonna lie, I was sort of planning to do anyways," Roux interrupts his question. "That's my promise."
Galiah looked to Edgar with a bit of confusion, of course knowing he would be unable to return the same glance to her, but she would return her stare to Roux as well with just as much confusion. She felt this was Raven, she acted like her on some more off days, but there was so much different about her. She wasn't sure if what she was looking at was a sort of doppelganger like she had heard of from myth or if this was really the Raven they knew before but now different. Or perhaps it was one of those things Mason had mentioned, a split personality. It was hard to tell. Galiah could only shake her head. "Keeper of the Unorthodox indeed."
She would lift her head up and speak again, "While I can understand Lady Raven wishing to help Edgar as a friend and an ally, I feel it is important to understand your goal. You seem to be much like the Lady Raven from before, loyalties and emotions and all. Clearly your admiration for Lady Samantha is well established. So do not take my questioning as distrust, for I know that if you had wanted to kill us, you would have surely done so by now. merely confirmation. Why do you wish to aid us, Lady Rav- Apologies, Lady Roux"
Edgar himself was even more confused as he kept hearing Galiah ask about if Raven was the real or not. Being unable to see, he couldn't exactly see what all the fuss was about, but he knew that it had to be something off for Galiah to have to question it as much as she did. He just couldn't think of any reason why. And he was even more surprised to hear the elf ask Roux why she was helping them. It threw him off. "Why... wouldn't she help us?"
"Yeah, what he said," Roux chimed it quickly. "I mean, it ain't hard to get. Besides. It's only right that I have your back like ya've had mine," she said. But of course, she knew that it was more to it than just that, though what she said was nothing but true. Even in other facets of time, there were some things about him that never changed. "That said, I guess you guys should know that ya girl," she pointed a thumb to herself. "Is goin' back to Florida."
"...Excuse me—what?" Edgar said, and once her words settled in, he immediately worried.
"P-Pardon?" Galiah remarked as she would look to Edgar, again knowing that he wouldn't be giving the same glance, and then to Roux as well with an equally worried look on her face. "Lady Raven, surely you jest. I mean, regardless of what happened yesterday, it may have just been a big emotional burst of magic, it happens a lot with you. And with Lady Samantha, it's all sorts of... I just.... I don't understand why you would want to go back with your.... what do you call it? That event where you shake and panic and scream and cry, Mason knew the name... Anxiety, yes. Your Anxiety Fever wouldn't allow it. What has lead to you to make such an outrageous suggestion?"
Shit, was this me really that much of lil bitch? Whelp, it's either toughen the fuck up or drown for that one. Roux couldn't help but to think as she pushed her coffee mug back and forth across the table. "Anxiety smiety, I got over it with pure unadulterated angst," she joked.
"You can't be serious? After what we talked about?" Edgar asked. "After yesterday morning— I thought you said you weren't interested?"
"Guess you could say I...changed my mind," Roux replied casually with a light grin. "Eye of the tiger, confidence boost—all that jazz. And it's not really a suggestion. I'll be flying out with Blondy and the Big Friendly Giant."
Galiah would shake her head in disbelief, "This is madness, this is utter insanity" She would pace around the room, her hood falling off so that she could brush her hair a bit in her confused state, "What would Lady Samantha say, Lady Raven? If she knew that her companion would leave to Florida to find someone who is actively volatile towards Lady Samantha more than anyone else here? Have you not thought about that? How she'd react if you were to endanger yourself like that?"
"Yeah. I've actually had more time than I'd like to think about that part." Roux picked at her nails while she spoke. "Let's just say that I shouldn't be the one you should be worried about when it comes to that." She said a little too ominously. "Besides, I talked to my girl already and she's down for it."
"WHAT?!" Edgar nearly yelled in disbelief. He felt as if he had just been tased by shock, and his expression said it all. "Sammy agreed to THAT?" What the heck is she thinking?!
"Look, I know what you're thinking, and though that may be a valid point, we'll call this an outlier. I'll handle Jackline, no worries."
Galiah would turn to Roux with absolute shock on her face as she would soon pace around the room now, equally as confused and in utter shock. She would practically pace around Edgar in a circle in a sort of frustrated movement at the idea that not only was it an absurd plan, but that Sammy had agreed to it. She would turn to Roux and speak, "How is that a good idea? Praytell, how are we to not worry, Lady Roux? Please, do not take offense to my statement, but you are a threat to yourself if you let your emotions get the best of you. How can we not worry? Because Lady Samantha is with you? How can we trust that you will be able to bring Jackie back without any issues from any part of it? There's so much that could become a disaster, and you just sit there like a....a ninny, I believe they call it, smiling and making your jests. Do you even realize the weight of the situation? This could spell disaster for everyone if even the slightest thing goes wrong?"
"Don't take this sexy smile and good humor for me being dumb. Trust me when I say that I'm more familiar with the weight of this situation than you are. And I'm not trying to become familiar with it again," Roux said with a coldness to her voice at first. But then she relaxed back into her seat. "And you say it like YOU going would have been any better in the slightest. Especially with this—" she pointed between her and Edgar. "Point is, there's a risk no matter who goes and you're just gonna have to suck it up and worry. But that won't be enough for you, will it Dorito Ears?" She stood up. "If I'm such a threat to myself, if you think my emotions are gonna get in the way and all of that, how about a little sparring match. We got the time and space."
"NO—" Edgar tried to intervene immediately.
.
"Relax there Boomer, I said sparring, not battle to the death," Roux assured. "No need to throw your back out."
Galiah would look up at Roux now as she was challenged to a sparring match of sorts, looking at Roux with a sort of stern expression now as she would step closer to her. And though she was far shorter than Roux, she would still look up at her with an expression that was different then usual. It was the look of someone ready to fight. But she would look at Roux and remark, "We ask these questions out of concern, nothing more. And though it is a sign of weakness to refuse a duel, I am afraid that my hands are not to harm the Keepers in anyway, sparing or not. But I admire you bravery to challenge me to a fight. That's a good sign. And I can see that your confidence is much higher than before... But that said, I was only told that my hands weren't to harm a Keeper"
Without warning, Galiah would deliver a high kick, her foot missing Roux's face by just a few centimeters and her leg left high in the air at a perfect 90 degree angle. She looked to Roux and asked, "But I would not advise it, Roux. I wish not to bring you any harm over a need to prove something"
Just as Galiah had threw her kick, there was a small blur from Roux as she found Galiah's foot aimed inches away from her face. And as Galiah would speak to her about not wanting to her her, she smirked. "Nothing to prove. Just a teacher testing her student right? But I wouldn't be so worried about me if I were you."
Galiah would feel mild tap between her legs from Roux's foot, which had stopped halfway in its swift extension. And when Roux would motion above the elf's head, she would find the four mugs of hit coffee there, ready to be dumped with only one release command.
Roux grinned at Galiah. "Not bad, huh teach?"
All Edgar could here was quick shuffling around him, like highly trained assassins had managed to infiltrate his RV. He felt a pinch of that same thing he felt when Raven had used her powers. And briefly during that moment, he could have sworn that he had seen...something? "Wh-what just happened?" He asked nervously.
"Hmmmm, a pincer approach." Galiah remarked as she would keep her left foot aimed at Roux, almost ready to deliver a devastating axe kick as she would turn to see the mugs of coffee just hanging over her. "Distract the enemy and then attack them from behind. A tactic only used in groups, yet you can manage with ease. Not just using your magic for offensive, but tactical advantages. Impressive. Of course, heat has no effect on a fire mage. To me this hot coffee would be no different then a hot bath. A warm aroma and sticky hot bath, but nothing more than that. But I guess you wouldn't be fighting a fire mage, would you. As much as I would love to have a proper match, Edgar dislikes it when his home is under siege"
Galiah would keep her foot off the ground like a gun to Roux's head, not even shaking from all her weight being supported on one leg as she was waiting for the next move. As she would hear Edgar's statement, she would finally lower her leg slowly, returning to a stand as she would respond to Edgar's comment, "Nothing, Dear Edgar. Lady Raven here has only proven herself. I can't say I fully agree, but Lady Samantha is going and I have less faith in her. But she's not going to look for Jackie, is she? So then what is her purpose of going, Lady Raven, if you will be the one looking for Jackie? Surely more than just the support of the emotions"
Kyung-ha paced around the Operator AI after Roux had spoken and taken her leave. She put aside Sammy and her inappropriate fondling with her lover for the sake of the matter at hand now. She was impressed but mildly confused at how the machine managed to work again, especially when neither of them had access to it from her knowledge. But it didn't match the bewilderment at what was revealed to her. All she could do was frown at the thought of what was kept from her from her superior herself. Even with the possibility of new Keepers around the world, she could bet that most of them were dead or close to being dead. But she never could have bet on Abel being one himself. That was something that was excluded from her conversations with Constantine, but it made even more sense why he was being followed. And if he was being followed by the Constables, she knew he was being followed by the Droven too. He belonged in the safety of the Keepers’ mansion; however, with Thube’s recent intervention, she didn’t know if he had it better or worse by not being there. And while she was tasked in protecting the Keepers, she wasn’t as much of a recruiter as Jackline was, which made it that much more urgent to reach her no matter what.
***
“S-Sangeon… S-stay wher––stay where you are, d-don’t move––” Yoon whispered anxiously, watching as the ice below them began to split. Her trembling fists tightened in an attempt to stabilize her magic. They were both in the very center of the frozen pond, away from the safety of the banks.
Much like Yoon, the little boy’s knees bent inwards in a worried state, trying to keep his balance in the thin layer of ice below him. He wasn’t sure what was happening, since just mere moments ago he was beating Yoon in a race around the rink. She had urged him to be careful because he was going too fast, but in his ears it just sounded like Yoon was asking him to slow down so she could win. “...N-Nu-Nuna…” He mewled for help, watching the cracks below them grow wider.
Yoon carefully outstretched her hands to Sangeon, who was a good three meters away from her. “Ju-Just walk over to m-me…s-slowly.” She begged, a flurry of snow appearing above her head as she processed her next step of action.
Sangeon took a few seconds to take some deep breaths, feeling the cramping in his legs from the current tension he felt on staying still. He too outstretched his small arms, hesitating as he took the first step forward.
“Y-Yes, that’s it, keep going.” Yoon urged, sighing of relief when she felt the tip of Sangeon’s fingers graze against hers. But then her eyes widened in horror at the sudden cracking sound that filled the air, watching Sangeon’s left bladed heel fall completely through the hole below him, causing him to lose balance. “SANGEON!” She shrieked.
Sangeon stumbled backwards, the landing on his back completely fracturing through the thin ice below him. He cringed when the cold water began to seep through his heavy clothes that consequently weighed him down as he struggled to keep his head above water. “YOON!!!” He screamed, feeling his jaw lock at the sudden cold his small body was experiencing.
“S-Sangeon!!!” Yoon felt her entire world collapse in the matter of seconds––her mana consequently creating a chilly fog around them. She immediately skated forward, only to fall as the ice against her feet failed her too. However, unlike Sangeon, Yoon was able to hold onto the edge of the crater. “Sangeon!!!” She screamed again, wincing as the icy water finally touched her skin too. It was colder than normal. She crawled herself out of the water, screaming for help when she no longer saw Sangeon’s head above water. Begging for help as she saw her own breath in the air. Pleading that somehow her mother could hear her despite being a good distance away from the mansion. Praying that somehow Galiah or Jackline rushed to their rescue. Even Ka’Pun who she hadn’t seen since her help with the moving process between countries. But only her own echoes answered her desperate calls. Yoon kept herself on all fours as she crawled to the edge of the hole Sangeon fell through. She stuck her hands inside, swirling them vehemently. “Sangeon!” She screeched with tears. Her hands grabbed ahold of something, gasping when all she retrieved was Sangeon’s red beanie. The short woman wailed in disbelief. “Nononononono––” She threw the beanie aside, panting rapidly while debating what to do next. She didn’t know how to swim, nor did Sangeon. “Sangeon!!!” She screamed again, her voice in the process of becoming hoarse. She realized she had no other option but to take off her hoodie and shoes to follow after him in the water, despite not really knowing how to swim. It was the only way.
Yoon struggled at first, kicking her legs in random directions much like a dog would in water. She was too scared to submerge her head completely, her tears joining the water that surrounded them. When she finally did, she accidentally inhaled some water which prompted her to raise her head out of the water to cough. The Keeper cursed to herself before taking a deep breath and sinking back into the water. She opened her eyes after realizing searching blindly wasn’t helping; however, much to her dismay, all she could see was the darkness from the water below. There was no sign of Sangeon. Yoon kept moving her limbs as an effort to keep herself from sinking completely, which also helped in swimming to find her brother. She would have to come out of the water every now and then for air, feeling her legs becoming tired in supporting her body. And because she didn’t go too deep under the water, coming up for air was easier. Yoon concluded that she would have to go even deeper to find him. And to do so, she would have to allow her body to sink––which is exactly what she did. She stopped fighting and allowed her body to be taken by the cold waters below her, her eyes searching her surroundings. She searched, and searched, and searched again. Minutes had gone by and she saw nothing. Only some rocks, a few fish, and plants from the deep pond’s ecosystem. And with the time that had passed since Sangeon last took a breath, she knew it was too late.
Her eyebrows wiggled desperately, crying beneath the surface at the loss of her brother. She felt her chest heaving, but there was no air to exchange to calm her panic within the depths of the water she was in. Her head lifted to view the rays of sun peering through the hole she fell through that called out for her to return, but despite her struggle to breathe, she didn’t follow their guidance to the surface. Her tears blended effortlessly with the water surrounding her. Her legs stopped fighting to keep her afloat, her arms falling limp to her side. Her body gave up. She chose to give up, knowing she could never face her mother when she had killed her only son. She couldn’t bare to face the looks of her fellow Keepers either. Millions of thoughts passed through her head when making her decision. Thoughts of everyone she had met in her life, thoughts of people she had grown to like dying. People that were in trouble because of her. People who were dead because of her. People she loved. But really, Sangeon was the only person she truly loved. Her only friend. There was no reason for her to keep going without him. If he had died, she deserved the same ending.
Yoon exhaled softly, seeing the hole above her shrink as she sank. The more oxygen she lost, the more she felt her surroundings spin, which encouraged her to close her eyes with a worried frown. She remembered reading somewhere that drowning was the worst way to die. But if she had already attempted death in the past with a bottle of pills, how bad could it be? At least this way her mother would never find her. At least this way the Droven or the Constables wouldn’t get their victory from using another Keeper. At least this way she wouldn’t need to deal with being a Keeper. At least this way she wouldn’t need to deal with the constant emptiness that weighed down her body ever since waking up in a different bed. At least this way… it felt better. The numbness that enwrapped her body felt… oddly peaceful.
She felt her back finally reach the sediments of the flooring from the pond as she passed its benthic zone. The moss and watercress there was soft, they tickled her with familiarity. The stillness of the water resembled the serenity of someone she knew, who always managed to calm her down after her anxious rambling. The way the water hugged all parts of her reminded her of the big and filling hugs from someone she couldn’t quite remember. Its grace and serenity was just like theirs. And she wanted to remain with that peace… forever. She rolled over on her side as if she was on her bed––her favorite sleeping position as she welcomed death with open arms.
I'm ready to go home, she thought.
Her eyes fluttered open one last time, but when they did, they shot open at the sight of an unconscious Sangeon lying next to her on the seafloor that pushed all her previous thoughts aside.
~
“––GASSSPPP.” Yoon choked as she sat up on her bed, feeling a bead of sweat coat her forehead and neck. She panted while her dreams recounted the events from the previous day. She regretted hitting snooze on her alarm to sleep for an extra five minutes. She was about to stand from the mattress until she groggily saw Sangeon sleeping next to her––eerily in the same position he was in under water. It left her panting, wiping at her forehead to calm herself.
Sammy would remain dead silent as she would let Roux explain the entire thing until she had left. But it wasn't until the silence had come over, both from Sammy's own embarrassment and from Kyung's own thoughts did she take notice of the silence that had overtaken the kitchen. As Sammy realized that she and her teacher were the only ones in the room now, and how dead silent Kyung was, she was already prepared to apologize immensely for her own perversions. But she would take notice of the silence, the expression on Kyung's face. It was different then anything else. It was not her usual cold expression. It was as if the longer Sammy had spent time with Kyung, the more she began to read her. "Uh... Miss Park" Sammy spoke. "Do you... know about this Abel kid? I remember you mentioning him before, but... how much of him do you know?"
Roux lowered her foot as well, a a bit of pride in the small chuckle she let out when the elf had told Edgar that she had proven herself. She had never gotten the chance to show the elf her improvements back where she had come from, and the thought made her smile a little less.
Edgar groaned when Galiah told him that nothing had happened, knowing that that wasn't entirely true with the prior exchange of words between the two. But then his head turned towards Galiah's voice, finding something she had said off-putting. "Uh...what do you mean she's not going to look for Jackie?" He almost sounded offended. "That's... that's the entire reason their going right? Did I miss something? Am I missing something here—"
"Yeah, kinda," Roux answered as she noted his stress. She looked at Galiah. "So I did manage to run you off huh?" She smirked. "You were eavesdropping on me and Sammy, weren't you? But it sounds like you dipped out at the best part and missed the big points. For all that talk of being a fire mage, sounds like the kitchen started to get to hot for ya."
"Okay will somebody just explain to me what the hell's going on, and why part of it sounds like something I'd rather not hear about?" Edgar asked.
"It was not dropping of the eves" Galiah spoke with her arms not crossed, feeling a bit more confident in Roux's abilities, "However, Lady Samantha is, as Sir Mason describes her, a loud mouth. Added with my hearing, I couldn't not hear everything. I believe you said that you had found... others."
But she would keep her focus on that and a stern look on her face as a faint blush would start to emerge on it at the mention of Roux and Sammy's own lust for each other, "But please, explain to Edgar, Lady Roux. I feel that he should be made aware of what you had discovered. It's very important"
She looked to Edgar, placing her hand onto his in a comforting manner as she remarked, "Don't fret, Dear Edgar. She has proven herself in a warrior's tradition. I have faith in her. But I think you'll find this information more promising"
"... Okay, Galiah, your um..version of "promising" can sometimes can be very different, so uh...reasonably, I'm scared," Edgar half joked halfheartedly.
"Don't worry Edgar, it ain't all bad," Roux said, patting him on the shoulder. "But you probably might want to sit down."
--An explanation later--
"Alright...so check me as I go."
"Check you?"
"Yeah, like a..a check mark list thing. Just so I can uh..make sure I was following everything right."
"Oooooh— you mean like the Cinema Sins ding thing?"
".....Sure? Let's...go with that, I guess."
" So..you used uhh, scienics—"
"—Psionics."
"Right. You pretty much hacked the computer—"
"Severe understatement, but for simple mind's sake, okay,"
"My god, will you please—"
"— Alriiight, alriiight."
"You found some files on the Operator AI,"
.
"Check."
"You found out said files has some sort of information that pretty much has documentary of some of where we've been throughout our lives and our families up to some given point, which has got to be beyond criminal levels of privacy invasion by the way—"
"Checkers."
"Not only that, but it somehow correlates to done destiny ritual Hogwarts bull crap —"
"Hey man, is it not enough to say you just don't like somethin' instead of just mindlessly fucking bashing it— nah, side track that, cuz I actually fucks with Harry Potter."
"Wh—fucking Christ—J.K. Rowling is a hack!"
"How! And what's that literally got to do with Harry and his freaking groupies?! You know what, what magicjy series did YOU grow up own that was better?!"
"Raven...Philip Pullman exists. 'His Dark Materials' is a thing. Hell, C.S. Lewis—"
Roux scoffed. "You are talking out of your aaaassss, man! Narnia's garbage and the parody in Epic Movie was better."
"You must've literally come from the worst generation possible—wait a minute, stop side tracking me! How do even manage to keep doing that! Back to the point!"
"Oh no, do proceed, my liege," Raven said in an exaggerated manner with a snicker.
Edgar continued, on the verge of telling her to just shut up flat out. "The map. It pointed to where we were born, but it was also marked in another map, and on top of that, there are what, four FRIGGIN more of us out there still now included in all of this.
"Accurate enough, yeah. Don't forget about the agents all after us part, along with the Droven still out there."
"And.. and now your going to—...Okay...I can't tell if half of that is even in our favor or if things have got drastically worse...and think I'm going to be sick."
"Then you might wanna pop a Pepto and hold in your dinner Queasy," she slid his coffee mug into his hand, waiting until he actually took it before releasing it herself.
Galiah was sat next to Edgar the entire time as the two would bicker back and forth and back and forth with little care for the situation at hand. She made extra sure to have her hand resting on Edgar’s, seeing little point to hold back her affection in front of stoic by this point. But as she would final my cue to the conclusion of everything, she asked, “Well aside from the more unnecessary parts of the conversation, this sounds more like a better plan than not going at all. There’s just one concern I have with the plan and that’s you going alone. You could become Roux but what is stopping you from going back to Raven, getting lost again and not being able to return. And on top of that you intend to find Jackie alone. I just don’t see that working, Roux. Three people were intended to go but now it’s looking much more dire. And not only that but we have so little defense here aside from myself and Lady Kyung-Ha, maybe Lady Yoon if she can master her magic in time, but I have suspicions. I don’t know if you being alone on the search for Jackie is the best idea. And I know Lady Samantha agreed. She says she understands, but anyone can see that she would have her own doubts. I assume you have some plan to prevent that from happening?”
Her hand locked itself around Edgar’s, her other hand pulling him closer by his shoulder in an attempt to comfort the sick feeling in his gut by this point
Roux lifted an eyebrow. "Guns blazing, get in and get out? And I swear, me and Sammy are going to have to talk about privacy when I get back into the house—"
"Oooh no, we're not doing that! Forget privacy Raven, you're talking about jumping head first into river of circling piranhas, covered in blood! If Sammy's anything, she's absolutely ri—"
"And this is exactly why I never really talked to you guys at one point. The moments I say I can do something is the moment you want to act like you're jumping down my throat—"
"Because It doesn't MAKE sense!" Edgar rose his voice.
"Bring that down to a 5," Roux said in a much harder, almost warning tone that shut Edgar up for a moment as he would stare slightly off to the right of her direction. "I never said that was my entire plan. Finding Jackie for you guys would take ages, but thing is, I already know where she is, duheee," she twitched her arm in a spasming fashion at the last part. She rolled her eyes.
"Then why didn't you just say that!?"
"Bitch even if I did you'd still go through a thousand questions and say the same shit! God, why can't anything ever be easy with you people! God—"
"God nothing! You expect us to just hear that and say okay?"
"At least if you did it'd show that you had some faith in a mother fucker, like damn!"
Edgar let's out an exasperated groan. "That's not the point Raven!"
"Then I see no problem." Roux concluded, crossing her arms. "Like I said. I got this. One is easier to to blend in then fucking three, I know my way around Florida better than Sammy and Mason combined, and YOU as a matter of fact, AND, I got my own connections down that way...or at least she should," she said, going off in thought for a moment.
Galiah would look to Edgar, her ears drooling to the side and then to Roux, “You know that we don’t ask because we don’t have faith in you. You handled yourself against an attacker yesterday. I believe in you in a duel. But… the Droven, and this other faction… I don’t think they care much for playing fair. We only say this out of concern and worry”
But eventually Galiah would let out a sigh and stood up, her arms still resting on Edgar’s shoulders, “But there is no one in this entire manor who has more faith in you than Lady Samantha, and surely her faith in you despite her constant training to protect you must mean something. And… I know what it means for someone to truly believe in you when no one else will. Not even yourself”. Her fingers brushed across Edgar’s shoulders with a sigh, “Please stay in contact with Lady Samantha and Sir Mason every hour. If anything is to happen, you must warn them. I don’t… want any harm to become either of you three while you are away. I trust that your training and your skills will aid you… but even still, please return here safely”
"Well I can't exactly promise safety with all of that out there, but eh, I'll manage," Roux shrugged, but held in a snicker as she saw the look on Edgar's face and how he had began to turn red behind his ears out of stress. Some things never changed. And she was glad. "I'll be back in a jiff if all goes right. If not, then maybe a liiiittle afterwards," she measured with her fingers.
"Raven!" Edgar said sternly.
"Edgar!"
"Would you stop doing that!?"
"NoooOoo," Roux said with a mischievous smirk as she was standing up. "Gotta mess with ya on every plane of existence."
"You're giving me a migraine is what you're doing—" Edgar muttered. He didn't the sound of what was going on, but he also agreed with Galiah. For Sammy to giveaway and let Raven off on her in, as insane as it sounded to him, that had to be a sign of something. But he did know if just that was going to be enough.
Galiah turned her head in confusion at just what she was hearing. What ever did she mean by the other plains of existence? Whatever that meant she would turn her mind from it for the time being and remark, “Well if you are sure that you will be fine, then so be it. I trust that you will keep yourself safe. And we hope to see you back soon”
But even despite that, Edgar would feel a slight grip on his hand as Galiah held it, feeling a sense of worry and fear despite Rouxs confidence. But even still Galiah would remain polite and proper in her expression. She would give a bow and reply, “But surely you wouldn’t want us to keep you. It’s still dawn and I’m sure you must prepare for the journey. And I assume spend as much time with the others and Lady Samantha before you depart. I’m almost positive Lady Samantha would like her time with you before you separate”
"Nah, not really for all the group mushy stuff," Roux replied. "It's bad enough Sammy's already a big baby as it is."
Edgar couldn't help but to let out a quiet chuckle. Sammy did have a way with tears sometimes, but he understood that she cared deeply about the people around her. And sometimes, he could see all the lengths she went through just to try to prove herself for whatever reason on cause.
Roux smiled a little at the sound of Edgar's laugh. When she looked back to Galiah, she said. "Besides. I'd rather go ahead and get going myself. Thanks for the talk." But as she was going towards the door, she paused. "And the advice." Without really letting them know what she meant.
“Oh well uh… thank you I suppose” Galiah remarked still not too sure what she meant by it as she was already seeing her head out the door. She would let out a small sigh as she was once again alone with Edgar in the RV. She would turn to Edgar and look at him, her hand still locked around his hand as she pointed out, “Hmmm Lady Raven is always so quiet and yet you bickered and joked with her like how Lady Samantha and Sir Mason joke with each other. And I know that you are not interested in the same sex as yourself. Hmmm, I assume it’s just good friends and nothing more”
But the way Galiah spoke, it was almost like a form of sarcastic jealousy, her hand still remaining locked onto Edgar’s as if to not let him go so soon
Sammy would just manage to get away from Kyung without having to explain much further, of course she would have prefered it be through some more fortunate means and not something like finding out about an old comrade of hers. She made it out into the front courtyard with a groan of frustration from the encounter. She would take the time of solace to make sure she was all packed up. A spare phone, plenty of money thanks to HECTOR, her list of things to do that she made sure to write down from memory, and of course her Ashwood, making it easier to carry on a plane. Of course she had a few firearms on her side hidden by Kyung and Leo’s special holsters but she was really hoping she’d not have to use it. The very idea of easily taking a life, even in self defense. It didn’t sit well with Sammy, not at all
(posting part of it, think I've deleted too many posts anyways. :p)
".....Yes." Kyung-ha answered Samantha's question without much explanation at first. “Abel-pie, now Johnny-pie, he is son to me.” She said; again not saying he was like a son to her, but rather acknowledging he was in fact her son. She fell quiet again, unconsciously pacing around the counter again. “Recruited into the organization when very young.” Her eyebrows knitted. “No, had no other choice but to join organization.” She corrected herself. “Rescued him in Droven attack in South Korea––only person who survive that attack. He was orphaned right then and there, and I become his teacher when he was brought in. Very good student of mine––the best. In fact––”
She went on to tell her favorite stories of missions that she recalled with him, highlighting how much of a brilliant and determined student he was. One story became another, and then another as she continued to pace around the counter. When she finally lifted her head to acknowledge Samantha's reaction, she blinked when she didn’t find her sitting in the chair she was mere moments ago. In fact, she had left completely and the woman hadn’t noticed because she was too invested speaking about her prime student and son. Kyung-ha rolled her eyes and sighed, reminding herself as to why she never bore the younger generation with her stories. She decided to return to her initial plan and occupy herself with getting the rest of the bags loaded up in the car outside.
"Be careful—" Edgar had tried to stress to Raven before she was out the door, leaving him to wonder in frustration if she had heard him or not. When Galiah spoke afterwards, he turned his head some to look at her until it sounded as if she were insinuating that something was with Raven and himself, which was when he turned to look at her with an odd expression. "Yeah...uh...just a friend." His fingers held her hand gently, and he kissed her knuckles, and he let out a sigh. "I'm not too sure about this Galiah...."
As Kyung would be loading the car with the bags, she would feel a presence next to her, as one of the bags was loaded into the car next to her. She would turn to see Samantha there, holding one of the bags and looking at the poor woman with her eyes. She had paid attention to a good amount of the story, and she could see how much admiration and respect she held toward Abel. She would have stood around for longer, but she knew she had to get ready for the trip by this point. She was even trying to tell her but she knew better than to cut off her teacher in the middle of a discussion. But with the two now at the car it was enough time for Sammy to speak her own mind. “Man you really admire Abel, huh?” Samantha spoke as she sat her bag in the trunk. “I… can’t really imagine myself ever reaching his level of skill. Hell even with your training I can’t imagine that. But… I hope to one day. Hell maybe I’ll get to see him soon and we can compare our skills” she tried to joke in order to cheer up Kyung as she would remember those days, but she felt it was of no avail. She would clear her throat and remark, “Even still I’m sure Abel sees you as a mother in a way. Your a good teacher, Miss Park”
Galiah would turn to look at Edgar with a sort of squinted stare of suspicion, before she would then rest against him and reply, “Your very lucky I know that I can rely on you. After all you said my moans were, as you say, the sexiest. And yes, my mating sounds are quite intercourse worthy”
But as she would hear his comment, her smile would waver a bit as she remarked, “Neither am I. But we are short on time to discuss and we know that the other Keepers need to be safe and sound. And besides, I feel Lady Raven would just do it without us if we refused. Better to at least support her from here then to let her go off on her own”
Kyung-ha blinked at the ludicrous comment Samantha had on comparing her skills with Johnathan's. She internally cringed, especially when she recalled that incident with her daughter in her apartment in Florida. "My Johnathan would suplex you and then cut you into sashimi pieces. Blindfolded... and maybe with broken leg too." Kyung-ha added while assorting the bags into the trunk of the stolen car. "But I admire your bravery." She would say, a small, humble grin coming to her face when she was called a good teacher. "You are good student, Samantha. Good girl, too. Smart, loyal, headstrong. Just... make sure that stubbornness of yours does not cloud the better good of the situation, oke? You cannot let emotions disrupt organization and reasoning."
"Is that really all we can do?" Edgar huffed, his hand falling away from Galiah's to run through his hair. "This just doesn't sit right with me. And I hate that I can't do anything about, or to help aside from having these damn visions," he rubbed his temple. His headache had become more mild, and he reached for his coffee with his other hand to take a drink from it. He took a moment to think to himself , and sat his mug aside. "I..just don't like that I can't see a way around it having to happen like this. It's nuts." But at the same time, with an unknown amount of time and good grace on their clock and Keepers still out there, there was nothing he could do. No more time to prepare for something else. He let out a long sigh.
“Can’t promise too much” Sammy joked as she would see the smile on Kyungs face. It was an odd feeling, seeing someone far older, let alone a mother, smile to her, say things like that about her. And to think just a year prior she was referring to Kyung as nothing but a controlling psycho. Someone who had a stranglehold on Yoons entire life. But no, Sammy could see just what kind of person Kyung was, what she had to deal with. And as she would see that smile on her face, she would nod and reply, “Don’t worry. I know to keep it serious when I make it to Florida. No nonsense, no distractions, just the job. I have you to thank for that, Miss Park. To be honest I never really had a mother… in a sense. So I always thought trying to appeal to any people way older was just bull. But… I have to say you’re one of the few commendable grown ups I’ve met. I just want to apologize for all the constant annoyances you had to deal with from my end. And I’m proud to call you my teacher”
With a smile, Sammy would extend her hand for a shake, giving a look of pride to her, “I won’t let you down, teach. You can count on that”
“I understand” Galiah spoke as she would sit back into the seat with a heavy groan, her head resting over the top as she would add, “I think the plan is awful. Even if the chances are small, the chance of failure is still there. I think the plan is a disaster… but sadly the time for planning has ended, and there’s nothing more we can do. We just have to hope, pray even, that the other Keepers are at least somewhat skilled. Like how Jackie was when we found her. At least that way they can give them aid. We just have to hope that the time of training will pay off. After all… the time for battle would have to come eventually. Just wish it wasn’t now”
Kyung-ha only took Samantha's hand because she knew she had washed it. However, using her hand, she reeled the woman forward to embrace her in a short hug. She feared it would be the last time she would see her. And so with two small pats, she gave her a few words of wisdom, "You are never done with learning, always something new to apply to your life." It was like parenting to her, she seemed to still be learning new things when it came to the well-being of her children. Kyung-ha released her. "Your mom would be proud. I know I am." But her her brows returned to their natural furrow. "But next time I see or my son see your private life in public I will shave all your hair off. Try keeping your hands to yourself during the trip to minimize distractions, or I superglue your fingers together." She added regarding the earlier incident. "Communal kitchen is place to dine, Samantha, no sexy time. You think I want my son watching Bluey on that same counter you on again, eh?"
“Oh well uh” Sammy said as she was suddenly pulled into a hug out of nowhere. It was… a thing. Samantha didn’t know how to feel about being held in such a motherly embrace. It was unlike anything she had felt. She wanted to say it was… nice. But was this how a bug was supposed to feel from someone you admired and respected? It was hard to compare. Sammy was only ever held by Mason for comfort when she was sad or by Raven when they were intimate. This embrace, it was something else, one that was warm, safe, and what it must have felt like to be protected. And when Kyung mentioned her mother being proud, Sammy wanted so bad to laugh, to tell Kyung just how wrong she was, but she didn’t want to spoil a nice moment. She just didn’t expect Kyung to be the one to spoil it when she brought up the incident in the kitchen. “I told you already that was just an Indonesian grappling move and I messed up the requirements, okay?!” Sammy attempted to save face, followed by a defense. “And we’ll be in different cities. I think I couldn’t be more focused than having my girl in another city”
Edgar was quiet for a minute, taking another drink from his coffee as his elbow rested against the table, his hand covering one of his eyes as he rested his head into it, his fingers scratching at the side of his hair. "Maybe we don't have a choice," he said, with much less enthusiasm than his usual self. There was a somberness in his words that stuck much more than they had before with the things that began to go through his mind.
~
Roux slipped her way back inside the house, sighing out a "phew" after her conversation with Galiah and Edgar. It had been a morning if nothing but explanations, and she didn't plan on having to fill another person in on the half of it. She stood with her back against the door for a moment, her lips puckered in thought about the nearing trip to Florida and what she would do once she got there. She pushed herself forward and up off if the door, walking down the hall and stopping to take a look around while at the stairs. It was almost exactly as she remembered aside from a handful of color swaps. But now wasn't the time to admire the look of the place again, and instead started up the stairs to the 2nd floor, but not to necessarily grab much aside from a few changes of clothes. But first thing was first.
As she found herself standing in front of Jackie's office for a second, and she grimaced as she out her hand onto the knob of the door and felt traces of the last couple of people there. After a second of debating that really didn't take much thought on her part, the door finally opened and she disappeared inside, the door closing quietly behind her.
“…maybe” Galiah spoke with a similar somberness “maybe not. Perhaps we did once but… that time has passed”. She would see some sadness from Edgar at his response, but she would keep her hand around his and as she would see the look of worry and defeat on his face, she would raise his hand to hers and plant a kiss on to the back of his hand. “But, Lady Raven, she seems to be an exceptional fighter. Not just someone who relies on the power of their magic. She can think, plan, outsmart. That alone is enough to take some worry off our hearts. And Lady Samantha as well, I’m sure she’s also strong. She’s trained for months now. Surely she must have learned how to defend herself and others. I worry too, Edgar… but we can’t assume the worst until it happens”
"Oh really? I no remember teaching you that move." Kyung-ha replied apathetically at Samantha's poor attempt of an excuse. "In fact, I no remember teaching you of lying either." She added. "You know, there are dozens of bedrooms in that big house, I would assume you could at least find one to your liking. With locks. And a door." Her eyes squinted. "You are lucky that it was me who came out and not Sangeon. Or Yoon. Or Leonard, even. I no expect you to do that in the kitchen of your parents house, so I no expect you to do it in kitchen of this house either. What your parents would say, hm?" It was like her own mother had caught her having sex in her teenage years and she was being lectured on the consequences, unamused by her answers but finding them mildly comical. "Were you even going to wash your hands had I not caught you? Or just forget and touch everything around you?"
Edgar sat there listening to Galiah when something that she said crossed his mind. "...Yeah..about that—" He sat up from his lean, his head turning slightly towards the elf. "Since when did Raven know how to use her powers so well all of a sudden?" He asked. "I mean I know she's been practicing, but last time she told me she could barely make a pencil float for a second and a half?" And though he hated to admit it, Raven hadn't exactly seemed like the type to know anything about fighting aside from the windmill, let alone enough to apparently fight off whoever it was that had caused all of the commotion from the previous day. Not only that, but her aura had seemed thicker and more defined. Sharper. But he wasn't sure if it himself, having found a lot of reasons to doubt his abilities as of recent after the incident with the tracking spell's failure.
“Of course I was gonna wash my hands. I’m not pig” Sammy remarked as she would stamp her foot into the ground, feeling a little insulted that Kyung would think of her as an animal. Though she couldn’t deny that Kyung wasn’t justified in some way with her response. But it was until her own parents was brought up. Sammys lips curled a bit in annoyance at the mention. She should have let it slide. She should have just ignored it. But it was something she was told so many times, so often. What would your parents think? And Sammy was unable to hold it back. Sammy just replied, “I’m sorry that I didn’t think about it but you ain’t my mom, okay? What would my real mom do? Oh well my mom would probably just sit there washing the dishes and making dinner for my psycho mob boss father, may as well have been with how he ran his family like a business. She’d just stand around while my dad cheated on her with other women not a care in the world. Then when he’s come home he’s immediately find faults in what I did. he’d say ‘Oh your such a disgrace to the family, all you do is bitch and fuck and bitch and smoke weed and bitch and do this and do that and never listen to your parents who suffocate you, who just want a mini version of me rather than a daughter. Samantha, get away from that guitar you sound like crap. Samantha you’re not going to theater that’s for fags. Samantha you’re not going to see Mason, you’re being too far off our little leash around your throat. And my mom would only pitch in to smack me in the face and call me a whore and how my own birth was a waste and how I’m responsible for my dad cheating on her and if I ever come back she’ll kill me”
It was clear that in some way, Kyung had struck a nerve within Samantha at being told what her mother thought. And though she felt a bit heated, she would immediately adjust the tie around her and clear her throat, but the stern expression was still ever present. “Sorry to lose my temper there, Miss Park. And forgive me for my language, but to be honest, I don’t give two shits what my bitch mom and worthless dad think. Never will. They’re dead as far as I’m concerned. My temper was childish and unprofessional and I do apologize for that… but I’m not gonna apologize for speaking the truth. I hope they rot in hell.
“I… I’m not sure” Galiah spoke, having to think about it for a bit. “I know that she has a sort of traumatic event. Mason says he looks into all sorts of things that people go through, perhaps to help prefect his magic more. I believe he mentioned something about split personalities. A sort of defense mechanism for the mind to deflect things. I’m not sure, this Raven was different from our own, but perhaps… this one is more skilled with magic and training. I just hope that this one can last until they are all back”
After a couple passing hours, Roux was just outside the car, having gotten out before the others due to not having anywhere near as much for herself, or as much as Raven would have tried to bring along our if "necessity". Her hair was no longer tied back and instead left to hang freely under a gothic sunhat hat, which she was more than happy to find in Raven's things after she couldn't find her fedora since it hadn't exactly come with. She stood out there by herself, her gaze following an airplane as she got to watch it rise from behind the stature of the Istanbul airport and off high into the sunlight filled sky. She couldn't remember the last time she had replaced a Raven to see one, or felt the air the way she could now. She watched with genuine awe in her eyes as it went higher and higher until it disappeared into the clouds. Once she heard the other doors closing for luggage to be taken from the trunk is when her attention leave the sky above and to the others that were starting to exit. However, she didn't really wait for them as they would start to grab their things, instead continued into the airport with feel for where she needed to go.
Kyung-ha did not see coming what Sammy had revealed to her out of pure frustration and anger from her parents. She wasn't aware of her past, and this only confirmed that she was just as troubled as the rest of the tenants in the home. She could see she had struck a nerve, and frowned as she recounted what was told. She knew how it felt to have a mom that hated her guts and saw her as the burden of the family. And the more Samantha vented, the more she began to understand the origins of her boisterous and stubborn attitude stemming from stoic and repressive parents. Perhaps it also helped her understand her attachment to Raven. Issues of mommy?. She recalled. Fear of abandonment?
The mother sighed, dismissing her apology while placing both her hands on the girl's shoulders. "Samantha Nguyen," she began, curling a strand of her blonde hair behind her ears. She wasn't sure if what she said next was out of the thought of never seeing the woman in front of her again. "If there was one good thing your mother did, it was having you." She cupped her cheeks tightly for reassurance that her existence was needed and loved. "You are allowed to grieve over the child you could've been." She said. "But, more than ever, you now can be happy for child you turned out to be. Everything opposite of them." She gave the smallest effort of a motherly smile.
Samantha was frozen in place like a deer in the road at what she had been told. Those words ringing in her mind, that the one good thing that her mom did was have her. And though Sammy always told herself that was the case, she was never told that that was the case. This was her only time hearing it. And from someone not that far from her mothers age. Sammy didn’t know how to react before and she still didn’t. But as she was told these nice words, by someone who was so stoic, so serious and so cold, it was almost enough to melt the poor girls heart. As Kyung would finish, Sammy couldn’t help but hug her again. She held herself close to her, holding her ever tighter, but she didn’t dare let tears fall. Not just for Kyung but for herself. She just held her in a hug and spoke softly, “Thank you, Miss Park. I… I bet your a great mother”
Later
Mason had been handed all of the bags for the trip, Samantha tossing her carrying bag to him which was wrapped around his head as he was made to carry the remainder of the bags. “W-Why am I the packing mule?”
“Come on, donkeys are a fine breed” Sammy said as she would step out of the car, looking to the airport as Leonard and Kyung Ha would get out from the front seats, Leonard only taking with him what his suitcase could carry, it being at least twelve different pistols and handguns. Anything else that couldn’t fit in his pockets were left behind.
“So what, like Shrek?” Mason joked as he took the bags out
“No you uncultured simpleton. Don Quixote. His helper Sancho rode a donkey and look how they turned out. Became heroes”
“Since when did you learn to read a book?” Mason jested
“Quiet Sancho. We’re on our way to victory.” But as she would turn to get Roux in on the joke, she would turn to see her heading down to the airport and through the doors. Needless to say, Sammy ran after in a hurry, leaving Mason to complain as he was left to carry it all. It didn’t take Sammy long to catch up as she spoke, “Hey hot stuff. Going already? No sweet sad ending? No Casablanca stuff? I thought we’d at least have a plane ride together before we gotta take things seriously. We could watch one of those shit movies on the plane and finally figure just what is the deal with airline food”
When Kyung-ha exited the vehicle, she made sure to inspect the perimeters carefully before she continued in helping unload the bags. And once the trunk was finally empty, she sighed to herself, watching each person leave one by one. She didn't wish to stay too long to avoid unwanted attention. And so instead she quickly said her goodbyes and wished them well, reminding them to keep in contact and also to oddly brush their teeth. Leonard would even receive a quick hug from the woman out of the shortness of the moment, urging him to keep himself safe and alert of his surroundings.
As Sammy would catch up to speak to Roux, she would find that the pale skinned woman wasn't who she had approached, and instead was one of the locals who she had swapped hats with, whereas the person that Sammy had ended up talking to gave her a weird look. While Roux was only getting further since she had already entered into the airport while they were getting their bags, and started to mix with the crowd, though not by much due to obvious reasons. There were so many...people. People's who's faces she hadn't seen a million times over before. It was as if she were seeing freedom fly from its cage. She smirked and she found herself catching a couple of glimpses, to which she did entertain with a group of fellows who looked to have been there on a business trip. One look through what she could see I'm their heads once she got close enough, and she confirmed that she was right. And one if their wallets maybe may not have had disappeared from their possession.
Roux looked up at the signs until she began following a family of three over to where they were getting their plane tickets, but rather than join them, she went further down, observing the display screens above each booth.
Sammy would come to a stop when she saw that Roux was in fact not Roux but a complete stranger. She would, however catch a glimpse of her just walking down the way and into the crowd. Sammy knew better than to run while holding an object that looked like a sword in an airport. But she also knew that any threat of agents or Droven was on another level compared to airport security. She would give a brisk walk passed the moving people, like running through a raging current as she called out, “Hey Roux! Wait up, will ya!”
Leonard was immensely taken by surprise when he felt Kyung hug him. He would of course return the hug, holding her close to him. He wasn’t sure where all this emotion from the once ice cold Immortal Kyung-ha Park had come from, but he was sure he had a few guesses as to what. He looked down at the woman, and patted her shoulder. “Kyung, don’t worry. I’ve had a few scraps back in my day. This is just another job. I don’t… like that I’ll probably have to take someone’s life… but they made their decision and they made their loyalties known. Nothing more that I can do about it from there. But I promise you, I’ll be back. And I’ll be back to see you and Sangeon. And… well… I’ll just see you around”
He was hesitant to pull away from her. He found some peace of mind, peace in his own psyche that was wracked with guilt, worry, and hatred. He just wanted to stay in this moment with her, but he knew it was a passing moment that would be gone soon. And his arms slowly pulled from the Korean woman, ready for his trip to Alaska
Roux was adjusted the black fitted cap that she had swapped her own for by the time that she was found, and she was looking up at one of the screens as she passed by security. But within the short time there, she had also taken attention to the cameras that she saw and counted them out. One by one she focused on their directions and began to interfere with their footage. When she heard Sammy calling her, she ignored her for the moment and continued walking until she found a counter with less if a line. And with the people that seemed to start noticing this, she hurried without shame, even pushing someone out if the way with a sly use of her magic, causing their belongings to fall and forcing them have to stop and pick them up while she slid into a spot that could've potentially been theirs.
It was then that she started to go back over the time it was going to take her to get to where she was going. If she were to go on a straight arrow flight, then she would have a chance of getting there in almost 12 hours, which was better than what she would have been expecting at the other airports after some net searching. Granted it costed more, but she wasn't really worried about the price in the slightest. After all, it wasn't her money that would be doing needed buying.
Sammy would hurry over to where around would be, managing to push passed so many people. She wasn’t sure what it was, the death, the isolation, the knowledge of things bigger then them or what, but she pushed passed people as if they were objects rather than people, some rudely reacting to her with her giving little in the way of much concern or attention. She just knew that she had to at least get to Roux. And she would try to call out again while juking passed a few more people walking in the opposite direction of the Asian woman. “Roux, where the hell are you going?!” She shouted as she still tried to pass everyone around her and jump over any stray luggage that was being rolled under foot
Kyung-ha said nothing in return, and could only bare him the smallest of smiles as her departing words. But as soon as his back faced her and he and the other people disappeared inside the airport, her empty frown formed itself again. She had mentally prepared herself for the chance of never seeing any one of them ever again, which potentially explained why she had been showing some emotion before their depart. All she could do was hope that luck and fate was on their side. But her pessimism prevailed, whether it was her dying or them dying. Adjusting her sunglasses and her hat that aided in her disguise, she took one last look at her surroundings before entering the vehicle and joining the rest of traffic, which fortunately wasn't as bad as Florida's or California's.
Roux's eyes sizzled behind her shades as she approached the counter. She pulled a card out of one if the wallets that she had taken while she was at in, as well as some poor bastard's passport.
And as Roux would began to speak with the representative behind the counter, she was smiling. And as she would be seen showing them something on the passport, she tipped her shades just below her eyes. The person that she spoke to seemed to sway for a moment. She would hand him a card to swipe, and then afterwards hand over the wallet before leaving the counter to the next person as she props her shades up the bridge of her nose with slips in tow tucked between the crevice of her her ring and pinky fingers.
Roux finally looked over when she heard Sammy calling after her. She rolled her eyes,, but smiled as she walked towards her to at least meet the briskly moving woman halfway. "Whattaya want Sammy, we haven't even gotten off the ground yet," she joked.
Leonard looked to Kyung with a bit of a somber expression. He knew that there was reasons why she was being so emotional, why she was caring for everyone. It wasn’t just him, but everyone. The woman had come to really care about everyone in the manor, and she knew that it was only a matter of time before something big was going to happen. He let out a sigh and watched as the car left the airport parking space and thus left himself with Mason
“So hey” Mason asked, hoping to mess with him a bit like he did with Galiah and Edgar. “Are you two a thing?”
“Say that again and I’ll castrate you” Leonard said without any hesitation, “She can take care of herself. Now get on the fucking plane smartass”
“I know, I know” Sammy spoke as she would finally catch up, playfully shoving Roux in the shoulder, “Just… ya know it’ll be a bit before we meet up again. I know hopefully just a few days max. But I mean, ya know… didn’t want to…”
Lose you for a few days max and know what would happen like the last time you left for another state. That was one thought that kept itching at the back of Sammys mind. She never mentioned it. She didn’t dare bring it up. She couldn’t ever, for her own sake and especially for Ravens. She managed to push it back and continue with little hesitation or focus on it, “I would like our departure to be more romantic than feeling you up in the kitchen, ya know. Especially with Kyung catching us. Not a fan of that”
