#thread: athena and cassidy

[lovesspell]

Location: Riverbed Gems Starter for @cardinal-cassidy

Think of this as an early Father's Day present," Athena told him with a grin as the jeweler brought out the watch she had requested. "And before you say it's too much, it's not nearly enough, especially compared to what I plan to get the twins for their 14th birthday." Athena was definitely a gift giving as my love language kind of person and it was always important for her to make sure she had her own time with Cassidy aside from the time she spent spoiling his kids and volunteering herself and Bennie to be sitters for them. "Every man needs a good watch," she told him and tapped the side of the box. "Go ahead, try it on, it's yours."

[sylfen]

Inversion: Ch.3 - Uninvited guests

Chapter 1 ←Previous Next→ On Ao3.

Relationships: Ramattra/Genji Shimada, Cole Cassidy/Hanzo Shimada

Footfalls echoed down the endlessly spiring corridor, unmistakably drawing near. 

Genji reacted instantly. He scaled a row of honeycomb-shaped alcoves, heaving himself into the third. On the otherwise well-lit ship, the cell served as a shallow, crude hiding spot. He crouched low and peered over the edge. 

Below marched a patrol of Nulltroopers. Genji stepped back, brushing against the wall. One of his scabbards knocked into a panel and he stiffened.

Clang. 

The machines paused, scanning. Hands moved slowly to the hilts of swords. Even if the Nulltroopers were cut down before they could react, units malfunctioning in sync risked alarm. There was no telling what that would entail. Genji bit his lip. He would much rather never find out.

The Nulltroopers whirled around and retraced their path. Their humming motors and footfalls had masked the noise, Genji realized. He waited in tense silence, until the door hissed shut behind the guards. Only then did he let out a shaky breath and glanced over his shoulder. The construction of the wall ports was foreign to him, so he leaned in to investigate.

“Anything we can use?” Genji whispered, tracing the jutting hardware with a finger. A scan-line swept across his visor, and a moment passed as Athena used his mainframe’s processor to think. An odd sensation, to feel his body slow down for a blink.

Athena drew a recreation via the HUD while she spoke. “The data bus’ connection point is compatible with your architecture.” 

His face scrunched. “Data bus?”

“Hardware intended for data communication between internal components and external systems.” 

Another scan was performed. A small beat passed, laced with tepid hope.

“Readings reveal the machine is currently without power.”

With a sigh, Genji climbed down, quietly landing on the floor.

“Your best chance may lay in the bridge,” Athena advised coolly.

“I was dreading that,” he muttered under his breath.

Their search for a control console continued, Genji deftly slipping through the winding ship layout. Without Athena, navigation would have been a confusing mess; panels glowing with Omnicode lettering translated with her aid. Vents provided the lesser trodden path in bypass of patrols and sentinels, the narrow passage a precise fit for Genji’s lean body. 

Upon entering a far-stretch of corridor, his pace faltered. It was a curious sight. A tube of glass, encased entirely in earth. Thread-thin tunnels weaved through the dirt, dark dots scurrying within.

Ants, he realized as he pressed on. A mega-structure within a mega-structure, containing an entire colony bustling with synergy; gathering food, removing sediment, nurturing young. A holographic plaque blinked nearby, its text flashing in Genji’s visor before he moved past.

  Formica japonica  

  Colony est. 2073  

  Status: Healthy  

  Note: Polygynous. Presence of Plebejus argyrognomon and Myrmarachne japonica.  

On one side behind the glass, a large chamber crawled with a dark mass. Dozens of ants converged on a single, larger individual caught in the dead end. It reminded Genji of the peril his team was facing outside. 

Perhaps an omen. Bile rose in his throat, and his steps turned swift and his senses sharpened.

Passing through more strange rooms and skirting detection, the ant tunnel stayed a constant in Genji's mind. It stirred small memories of carefree days pre-Crisis, of playing shinobi in the tall grass, the warm sun in his face. Honing ninjutsu by trying to catch insects, then sneaking up on Anija and releasing them in his hair.

Fondness graced his smile as he ducked behind a corner. Then it fell.

Null Sector was a war machine. Faceless and fiercely sycophantic to its cause. The logs Genji had perused in bed at night, under the cold glow of his Holovid, revealed as much; a long list of atrocities and extremism. And yet, such a feature adorning its flying fortress was as eccentric as it was… Humanizing.

Such thoughts were better left behind. 

Up, up, and as a pair of tall doors parted and Genji silently entered, he knew he had arrived somewhere important. An atrium, vast and multileveled. The nexus and heart of the ship. A walkway curved around the open midpoint like a horseshoe, its tips pointed toward a sloping wall of glass. Along the railing stood Nulltroopers, their long rifles pointed at the level below. The muzzles followed the same mark, their barrels pulsing with latent power.

Genji paused. The room carried the soft chime of a synth. His HUD updated, the target shifting, and he blanched.

Master Zenyatta. He was there. And the sentinels were aiming at him.

Genji reached for his weapons. But the purple glow pouring in through the window reminded him of his priorities. He tracked the railing, following it around. Their columns rose into the atrium’s ceiling and ended in trusses. If he was subtle, he could climb up without detection. Perch atop and search for a console. 

Carefully, quietly, he moved. Past the Nulltroopers. Down the aisle for the opposite end. As he neared his chosen column, his limbs turned stiff.

A shiver slipped down his spine.

Echoing through the atrium was that resonant voice. He had only ever heard it through speakers. Multiple times, preaching Iris-laden propaganda. But hearing it in person, it knotted his gut with apprehension.  Slowly, Genji dared peer over the railing.

Zenyatta stood near a deep shaft, flanked by a pair of Nulltroopers. His form was as serene as his voice while he conversed. Across from him, in the center of the shaft rose an isolated structure: A disc surrounded by rings, layered in curving holographic displays. His visor zoomed in.

The outermost ring streamed live invasion feeds; undoubtedly Alexandria, Hong Kong and Buenos Aires. Cities Overwatch were in the midst of aiding.

The middle screens were of maps, detailing real-time movement of entire Null Sector squadrons. Symbols tracked response efforts, meticulously providing raw numbers of infantry and equipment. Genji’s heart plummeted, his jaw tightening. Not only had militaries and Overwatch been scouted, the Hong Kong team was under siege over Burma.

Worst was yet to come. The innermost ring consisted of supplemental information, scrolling or shaped into graphs. One contained Overwatch agents—even the newest recruits Juno, Orisa and Efi—divided into their respective teams. 

His visor flashed. Text slipped over the Omnicode, revealing weaknesses and potential strategic counters. Amid the displeasure, Genji smirked at his own entry. Sparse.

“Main console confirmed. No signs of a port,” Athena said softly. 

Options passed over his mind, shaping into a plan. He could create a distraction. Under the concealment of chaos, climb along the ceiling and drop down onto a ring. From there, Athena would direct how to disengage the defenses. With the help of his team, they would be able to find and engage the leader of Null Sector.

Then Zenyatta spoke.

“Will you be hiding away all this time, Ramattra? Why not step forward?” 

At the monk’s request, the holographs blinked out of existence. Mechanical discord droned as the rings rotated. Slotting into place, they bridged the lone platform to the rest of the room. With an unobstructed view of the dais, Genji’s focus was promptly stolen. 

They had not prepared him, the messages looping in the cities. 

Physically there and so close, the commanding presence struck him. With his back straight, head held high, the Ravager unit towered. He radiated fortitude and pride, carrying a constitution fraught with complexity. Elegance, as well, lent in no small part by the groomed plaits of wires curtaining his face or the lavish cloak on his shoulders. 

Ramattra.  

Genji's fingers curled around the banister as he swallowed, his throat a desert. Pictures or recordings—nothing could do them justice quite like reality itself. 

No wonder the R-7000 model is so infamous.  

Zenyatta approached, stopping at the behest of the staff pointed at him. 

“Halt, Zenyatta.” Ramattra took a wary step back. “This is unlike you. You've refused me at every turn, yet now you are here. Something is amiss. Keep your distance and speak.” 

Something was indeed amiss.  

The certainty that led Genji wavered. He sought the traces of licking flames, thick brows furrowing at the ashen trails in his jacket. The possibility Ramattra might not be behind the incident bewildered him. 

“I understand your hesitance, my dear brother; I do not blame you.” Zenyatta brought his hands together, placed them innocently over his chest. The orbs around his neck floated away from their place. Above him, they gathered into the shape of the Shambali emblem, the Iris. “Do you remember the day I arrived with you to the Shambali monastery?” 

Ramattra cocked his head slowly, his words careful. “...Of course. You were quiet and reserved.” 

“Indeed. And to a fault. As you recall, Mentor Mondatta took me under his wing and he shared with me his first lesson.” As he spoke, the orbs rearranged into the pattern on his forehead. “Walls that keep out danger keep out knowledge.” 

Zenyatta was not finished. He began to pace around, wholly taken by his speech. 

“He was correct in his assessment of me. As were you.” And he meandered, the staff remaining fixed. The dark orb gleamed. “I was blind to the truth; I rejected it, because it didn't align with my perception. Now, however, I see clearly. I understand our place within the universe. How we can evolve.” 

“Evolve?” The tension collected in Ramattra's shoulders turned taut, his guarded stance intensifying.  

“Yes, evolve. Unlike humans, we as omnics cannot. We are stagnant. It is our one flaw, why we dwindle in number. But we can transcend through the Iris. We can become worthy of a place beside humanity.” 

Genji's optics zoomed in and he combed over Zenyatta. Nothing seemed out of place. Save for the cyborg’s antennae he had furtively pinned between the decorative wire of the pant leg. 

Zenyatta circled in front of Ramattra, who shot up at his words. 

“No. This is wrong,” Ramattra hissed, staff poised. The orb within writhed with subdued energy, flickered as if held back. “You're wrong—twisted. Evolution? Stagnation? Such rhetoric was always beyond you. What happened the years we’ve been apart? Did Mondatta's death affect you so?”  

Genji continued his furtive examination with Ramattra. The eerie calm of the Ravager mask betrayed his heated words. Something about him shifted the air, bristled the remaining hairs of Genji's body. 

“No such thing. I sincerely hoped you would understand, Ramattra. Perhaps I should apologize—that I was too late to reach you. Isn’t it ironic, how now you refuse me?” Zenyatta laughed, his synth soft and melodic.  

The turn of ambiance persisted. As if stillness would soon be broken. 

Ramattra bowed his head. This time, Genji noticed.

He understood. Revelation rocketed his pulse. He perched onto the railing, reaching for his blade. 

“You worry me, Zenyatta,” Ramattra said gently. 

That feeling of tension. It was intimately familiar. A remnant of a time Genji thought long past. 

“Oh, brother of mine... Then worry no longer.” 

Ramattra raised his gaze. For the smallest second, it happened again. One of the red dots on his forehead delayed.

[seashq]

students !!   ... we tried to avoid being in this part of the world during hurricane season, but it snuck up too quickly. unfortunately, we had to veer a little off course. don’t panic !  the ship will be safe ... but until this hurricane passes, it is NOT safe to be on the ocean. or on the ship. or outdoors.

luckily, we were able to secure enough hotel rooms in a nearby fictional hotel in puntarenas, costa rica, for all of our students !   for the next few days, all students will be staying in the el ensueño tower. we were able to get a good late minute rate due to the hotel’s ... um ... reputation for ... hauntings ... 

although you cannot go outside, you will have access to the hotel’s billiards room, restaurant, gym, pool  ( mysterious wet footprints appear in the halls sometimes, )  bar, lobby with chess & checkers, tea room, library & puzzle room. you will also be sharing a room with 1-2 students. your rooming assignments are listed below. use this for plotting and thread purposes. have fun with it. get to know some new folk.

room 809: parker, evie, feli room 811: bentley, zephyr room 824: scout, briar, axel room 830: mason, ophelia room 834: fable, brandon, aria room 835: celeste, mac ( there has been rumors that at 1-4am, you can hear the sounds of children laughing and running up and down the halls on the 8th floor )

room 907: keisha, james, liam room 908: micah, sawyer, vanida room 909: blair, matias, athena room 911: sierra, colin, jewel room 915: ruby, lexie, natalie ( there has been rumors that at night, you can see apparitions behind you in the mirror and bathroom pipes turn on and off by themselves on the 9th floor )

room 1003: teddy, ryan room 1004: duckie, kat, luna room 1005: carter, jai room 1010: dakota, cameron, kal room 1011: romeo, brooke, cleo ( there has been rumors that when you leave and return to your room, your clothes and other items may mysteriously be moved around on the 10th floor )

room 1104: cassidy, river room 1105: sunjae, naomi, aera room 1111: joey, miles, blue room 1114: aurora, cara, eden room 1115: jeremiah, samuel ( there has been rumors that the spirits of musical duo who used to perform at the hotel, juan & jorge, roam the halls of floor 11. some guests claim to hear their music coming from the dark )

ALL STARTERS THROUGH SUNDAY, MAY 23RD SHOULD TAKE PLACE INSIDE THE HOTEL AND BE TAGGED WITH #SEASEVENT.  as always, behave students. don’t do anything stupid. please like this post once read. sincerely, dean murphy

[cursedserpenthq]

TW: KIDNAPPING 

IC: 

As planned, the crew broke into the Maeve Callistor ( @grimxintcntions​ ) and Charles Cassidy’s ( @charleshere​ ) shop and living quarters on the last night of the Moon Festival. Lyra ( @siren-scng​ ) and Magni ( @cleptaar​ ) ensured that there were no witnesses to the break in by knocking out anyone and everyone who was lurking in the alleyway. Once inside, the crew formed small groups to search the place. Athena ( @athena-thadd​ ) found and took Charles Cassidy’s grimoire. Lyra, Magni, and Adeline ( @adelinedrxke​ ) located sketches of all twelve jewels. Alarik ( @wolfalarik​ ) and Cyrus ( @cyrus-hartwin​ ) located a partial letter written by their former captain, Scott Bradway. Thaddeus ( @doctor-durant​ ) and Jasper ( @jasperxsilvers​ ) found a journal that appears to have been written by Maeve’s mother. Jax ( @jax-harper​ ) and Uridia ( @uridia​ ) discovered a number of gruesome sketches.

Unfortunately, the robbery didn’t go as smoothly as the crew had hoped it would. Near the end of their search, Maeve Callistor returned home and found the entire crew. She attempted to defend herself and her shop by throwing a fire poker. While it was not the best weapon, she did manage to wound Magni. Adeline and Lyra tried to subdue Maeve and get her to cooperate, but the woman would not stop fighting back. Captain Jax instructed a few crew members to take the injured Magni back to the ship and agreed to kidnap Maeve in order to question her and stop her from going to law enforcement about the break in. Athena and Uridia went looking for Charles Cassidy, who had not returned home by the time the robbery had concluded. 

It took some time for Athena and Uridia to track Charles down. They finally found him back at home. After attempting to get the man to cooperate peacefully, the women began exchanging threats with the sorcerer. Finally, Athena threatened to burn pages in Charles’ grimoire, and he agreed to come with them to the ship. 

Both Charles and Maeve are being kept separately in the stores on the ship. Unknown to the crew, Captain Jax placed an enchantment around each room to ensure that no magic can be used inside and to alert him if the captives get too close to the door. Rotating shifts will be used to make sure the stores are always guarded. There will be at least two crew members on the ship at all times. Over the next few days (IC, it will be longer OOC), the crew will question both Charles and Maeve. In addition, they will all have a chance to examine what was stolen from the shop and apartment.

OOC: 

If you missed the event or want to review the chats for any reason, they are titled “The Break In” and “The Hunt for Charles” and can be found under the discord events category. All new starters should take place after the Moon Festival and the break in. You are, of course, free to carry on and finish your old threads. You are free to assume that Maeve and Charles are being kept on the ship until an update is posted stating otherwise! 

[lovesspell]

"And why not? I'm allowed to spoil my friends. And helping out with the kids is a gift, please, it takes nothing from me to be there for them." Athena prided herself on being a reliable person and she took that especially seriously when it came to the kids of her dear ones. She wasn't sure if she and Bennie would ever have kids of their own being able to be present for the kids around her meant a lot, especially if it meant helping Cassidy out. "I mean just look at that," she said, clapping her hands together when he finally tried it on. "It's basically made for you. And a good reason for you to not be late," she teased. "Do you love it or do you love it?"

Cassidy felt like a deer caught in the headlights the moment he saw the watch.  Words were hard to grap at that precise moment as he stared down and gave a little shake of his head.  He was in disbelief.  Mainly because Athena went out of her way to give him something so thoughtful and there was no way he could ever repay her or give her such a gift in return.  “You really shouldn't have,” he said.  “I mean, I appreciate it, but wow this is way too much.  You do enough for me already by helping with the kids and all.”