wiltingbeast

[wiltingbeast]

⠀⠀Her guess is right. He loathes the honeyed tone she takes in response. She could probably sense his eyes rolling away from her, a groan suppressed as he takes another look of their surroundings. Once she ends up explaining herself, Adam gives a nod of agreement— it's far too easy to get complacent here. The occasional city-wide panic keeps people on their toes, but not frequently enough.

⠀⠀⠀⠀"Hm, you're right... So keeping the senses sharp pays off, eventually." Is that also his reasoning for putting himself in danger like this? ... Mostly. But he has no reason to open up that much to an assassin, even if she's one of the few residents he's kept familiarity with over the years. "I'm not sure how long you've been here, but I think I'll start heading back now."

⠀⠀— So, his assumption was correct. The new presence was one of the island residents. That very presence was faint— almost too faint to even notice. But even the natural beasts of these woods can only blend in so well. The flash from his blade was more of a test than one of actual, harmful intent. It got the woman's attention fairly well— a familiar face he hasn't seen in quite some time.

⠀⠀⠀⠀"That was my polite hello." It's hard to tell if that was a sincere clarification, or the rare occasion of dry humor on Adam's part. "... You haven't been here in quite some time. Hm— neither have I. But I don't recall this being one of your hobbies... Why are you out here?"

[wiltingbeast]

⠀⠀— So, his assumption was correct. The new presence was one of the island residents. That very presence was faint— almost too faint to even notice. But even the natural beasts of these woods can only blend in so well. The flash from his blade was more of a test than one of actual, harmful intent. It got the woman's attention fairly well— a familiar face he hasn't seen in quite some time.

⠀⠀⠀⠀"That was my polite hello." It's hard to tell if that was a sincere clarification, or the rare occasion of dry humor on Adam's part. "... You haven't been here in quite some time. Hm— neither have I. But I don't recall this being one of your hobbies... Why are you out here?"

⠀⠀⠀THERE'S ⠀something assuring about a denizen's scream. … Not the sound itself, of course — that was grating. Bone-chilling, even. But regardless of her personal feelings about her former life, she was an assassin; it was an impulse, that tightening of the stomach when you realized you were alive and your opponent was not. And despite those aforementioned, pesky feelings, this island would always have a need for her to keep her skills sharp.

⠀⠀⠀So she spends ample time in the Mistwood when it suits her, going to places her instinct tells her she shouldn't, telling herself it gives less-capable travelers one less thing to worry about each time she fells some inky horror. No sooner had she flicked jet-black blood off her daggers, leaned her back against a rock to survey her surroundings, than those very surroundings were bathed in red. This particular shade of crimson was of the near-blinding variety, and although she's never seen it in person, the spike in energy felt familiar to her. She follows the tug in her gut, head canting toward the man matter-of-factly sheathing his sword as the wave passes; it was easy enough to spot him, considering he'd briefly parted the mist itself.

⠀⠀⠀❛ ⠀Hm. Can't you ever just give a polite 'hello' ?⠀ ❜⠀

@wiltingbeast : starter call.

[wiltingbeast]

⠀⠀⠀⠀"I was already minding my own business the last time we were here together. You're the one more likely to have changed your stance since then." She still had a life to experience if and when she is absent from here. Blake is the one that seems to keep changing, growing and moving forward every time she disappears, even if just for a split second in the dead of night. But Adam? When he leaves, and when he returns, nothing changes. A void of darkness overcomes his mind, yet it might as well be a blink when it happens. He shakes his head in annoyance, as if she was the one looking for trouble here.

⠀⠀⠀⠀"Besides... You're wounded, even if it's minor. I'm in no mood to kick you while you're already down." That blind rage of the past has long since been subdued. Taking advantage of this chance to cut her down... A hollow action with no joy, nothing more. Pointless. "Now, you're the one that didn't choose to move on after spotting me. Did you have something to tell me? ... I highly doubt you'd keep me updated on your little adventure at this point."

initially, there is no reply, only eyes narrowed in scrutiny and suspicion. when Blake had initially sighted Adam, her annoyance had only grown. first Neopolitan, and now him? Getting into two fights before finding Ruby would be disastrous but she had to be sure that this was the same Adam who had come to a decision long ago in this city. yet even as he removes the mask, it still takes her a few more moments before her grip on her weapon lessens. the tension has not left her, but for now, that's fine.

" And what about it? Do you plan to be part of that trouble too, Adam? Because I'm not in the mood for your hot and cold act. Not today." there has been no time to reconcile her most recent memories (Ruby clutched protectively against her, falling into darkness, waking up here) with everything from her past experiences in this city. she'll have a headache later because of that, no doubt about that. but Blake isn't fond of the situation-- really, can't she ever end up back in this place normally?

[wiltingbeast]

⠀⠀... His train of thought slows to a halt, the Faunus looking more directly at the young Huntress with his obscured brow raised in surprise— something he didn't expect. The expected response, the tired routine and patterns regarding the Huntresses that followed him from Remnant... Already he can sense something is amiss, a shift he cannot pin down just yet.

⠀⠀⠀⠀"... What you say is correct, in a sense. But..." His posture turns so he can fully face her now, as if observing an abnormality. "Do you not often repeat yourself in spite of that? I seem to recall how set you were in making sure your stances were made crystal clear, no matter how many times it bore repeating. But, just now..." A turn of the head, a pause. "... Hm. That resigned, matter-of-fact tone is ill-suited for you, Rose."

⠀⠀⠀SHE'S⠀out there somewhere. The thought's been rattling around in her head over and over, working in tandem with the roiling emotions in the pit of her stomach. Anger and fear — and an irrational shame about that fear — volley back and forth, and the ironic result is a substantial lack of spatial awareness. It's a miracle she even felt him pass by in the first place, registering it on a subconscious level. But when she did, her body responded accordingly; a gasp left her without her permission, and her entire body tensed as it debated whether to fight or flee. All of these were instinctual, taking place in the precious seconds it took for her to process who it was.

⠀⠀⠀As he drones on, the roaring rises in her ears. Does she look like she cares about that right now ? What warning could she possibly give him ? Does he mean to him, or about him— ? Oh, right... She does that a lot, doesn't she ? It's hard to remember much of what constituted as a daily routine here when she can barely process the utter chaos she'd left behind in Remnant.⠀ ❛ ⠀Wha— ? Oh. Right...⠀ ❜ ⠀Her pulse remains unbearably fast, stirring just beneath her skin to a distracting degree. ⠀❛ ⠀... I've got nothing to say. I'd just be repeating myself, wouldn't I ? I mean— if you don't get the message now, you'll never get it. Not through words, anyway.⠀ ❜

[wiltingbeast]

⠀⠀⠀⠀// @reliberated

⠀⠀⠀⠀"— Don't bother." The statement was swift, stern. The feline wasn't even bothering to stick to the shadows after a certain point, making it all the easier to pick up on her presence. An agitated breath follows, right hand resting on the hilt of his weapon out of habit. The left, after a tense moment of silence, moves up to carefully remove the mask that obscures half his face. Keeping a firm grip on it as the wind dashes along the wounded scar tissue, his back remains to the Belladonna woman as he continues to address her.

⠀⠀⠀⠀"I've been here just as long as you, it seems. Very recent. ... And yet, it seems you ran into trouble first." There was something off about those footsteps. A minor limp, perhaps? The best assumption is that Blake wound up in a fight before this unfortunate run in. An odd change of pace, certainly.

[wiltingbeast]

⠀⠀⠀⠀// @petalbursting

⠀⠀Careless. Careless, indeed. The Huntress is barely mindful of her surroundings, if at all. There's a sneaking suspicion that she herself has also returned rather abruptly in the same manner as the bull... but, rather than keep on her toes— she's allowed her senses to be dulled while a haze settles in her mind. It's only when Adam has already passed her does the Rose girl seem to make a sound of shock. His pace reaches to a stop, a low sigh before he glances back.

⠀⠀⠀⠀"— Certainly took you a while," he remarks with an agitated tone. He would have been content with walking right by without interruption. "I'll assume we've returned at the same time. If you'll spare me whatever warning you may come up with, I'll be on my way."

[wiltingbeast]

⠀⠀⠀⠀// @sweetretribution

⠀⠀Like waking from a dream. A dream of dark nothingness— how long did it last? A night? A year? A decade? The city has not drastically changed... but it has changed. The Cotes Ward has taken the most noticeable changes— but the house he gained remains the same. How odd... How irritating. Adam cannot bring himself to sit idly, far too restless— bringing him to an aimless walk around the ward. But, in due time— a peculiar sight slips through the opening of his mask.

⠀⠀The silent one— the human woman who does not speak. But her silence is filled with a bubbling frustration that bleeds into the air around her. The ebony-clad warrior reaches to a stop, for it doesn't take long to be noticed.

⠀⠀⠀⠀"Well— a strange run-in we have here. You certainly seem lost."

[wiltingbeast]

Time to welcome back the troublemaker, fresh and unlocked like old times. And here's a Starter Call to help bring the bad vibes in, capped at 5!

[wiltingbeast]

reliberated​:

@wiltingbeast​ SAID:   [TEXT] Blake. There’s something I need to bring up with you. Pick a time and place to meet, anywhere is fine.

   well, this is a text she wasn’t expecting. slightly worrisome as well– a place to meet, huh? she could simply leave whatever this is be alone, but….

[TXT] The Boardwalk.

[TXT] In an hour. I’ll be off work then.

          [TEXT] Very well. I’ll be waiting.

     His messages are short and to the point. To some, it comes across as cold and detached. One could even assume this was due to his... highly strained relationship to the other Faunus. And yet, the truth of the matter... Adam has always been like this, regardless of familiarity. However, it was less from cold indifference, and more due to a certain... awkwardness about him. A charismatic leader he most certainly is, and he’s always been capable of rallying his followers at a moment’s notice. Yet once matters became more personal, the bull was rather rigid. A lack of empathy, perhaps? His own personal walls a detriment?

     Thinking back on it, Blake didn’t seem to be bothered much by such blunt tendencies. Was it her admiration that made her push past it? A fundamental understanding of what kind of person he truly was?

     He can’t help but dwell on past matters as he waits at the Boardwalk. It wouldn’t be long before another fireworks show of SpiraleFES started, the crowds already looking for the best places for viewing the sky. Yet the bull’s absentminded thinking almost made him blend into the background, so utterly detached from the matters around him.

     In all honesty, it’s a utterly pure example of how he’s felt on this island for a long time. And he’s not sure if he can keep going on like this. Perhaps tonight, that can begin to change.

[wiltingbeast]

     // @moonlitfighterrika​  |  SpiraleFES

          “... If you’re looking to make your own fireworks, the booth is a few minutes over that way.“ Adam hardly glanced at the child, merely tilting his head in the aforementioned direction. It wouldn’t be long before the night sky over Golden Ward would light up with fireworks, so there wouldn’t be much time left for the opportunity of making one’s own creation for the show. Adam himself was content to just watch. Menagerie rarely had displays like this... A fleeting sensation of nostalgia was all that kept him around for this night. If he can spend it alone, all the better.

[wiltingbeast]

petalbursting​:

           CONVERSING   with Adam Taurus… isn’t exactly her favorite activity. If this were Remnant and things were normal ( relatively speaking ), talking would be the last thing she’d do. But this wasn’t Remnant, and nothing was normal; he’s saved her more than once, and vice versa. On top of all that, she’s even seen Blake converse with him; even so, it’s good to know Crescent Rose is right within reach— locked and loaded. 

           Her eyes dart between him and the wrap around his neck, one brow raised with a silent question. Truthfully, she knows exactly how he acquired it— or, well, she knows enough to assume. She’d seen him several nights ago, stalking toward the Mistwood. No one ever goes into the Mistwood by mistake these days. 

        ❛   How many did you take down ?   ❜   Ruby asks, a relatively simple question all things considered. She nods her head slightly, gesturing just beyond.  ❛   In the woods.   ❜

     ... A direct approach? It’s a bit unexpected, the corners of his mouth falling a bit. Even with the cloth around his eyes, she likely would notice the immediate aversion of his gaze. Truthfully, he hadn’t given much thought to that night lately-- aside from the occasional twinge from his recovering wounds. It was like a trance had overtaken him, plunged him into a violent dream...

     However, why would she even care about such matters?

          “... Hm. I’m not sure.“ The answer came after a stretch of silence, his body now shifting to the general direction of the Mistwood. “I’m certain some of them were wounded... But if any died, I never saw the bodies.”

     The only vivid image he recalls was the blinding red light of his Semblance, at the end of his excursion. All the damage he had taken and blocked, the pain they inflicted on him... all collected into his blade for a devastating strike, cutting down anything that stood in his way and turning it to dust.

[wiltingbeast]

     Wanna hang out with Adam for SpiraleFES? Dunno why you would, but maybe you’re feeling bold and brash! Here’s a Starter Call just for that, uncapped!

[wiltingbeast]

     // @petalbursting​  |  Starter Call

          “... It’s rare for you to willingly approach me, Rose. What do you want?“

     Adam was still in a rather peculiar state of mind ever since the return of his power, but by now he’s been heading back out into the public more often. Staying alone in that manor means being alone with his thoughts... And so far, that’s only lead to getting himself injured. Even now there’s a white wrap around his neck, hiding a deep cut he had gotten from the Mistwood in his reckless venture. He’s hoping she won’t take notice... but the wandering gaze of those silver eyes swiftly dash that hope away.

     In fact... It’s almost as if she already knew where to look.

[wiltingbeast]

                                             Never Good Enough

          Well? This was always the goal, right?

     A strong summer storm had swept over the city before the sun even reached the horizon this morning. A steady downpour quickly settled in throughout the wards, the low rumbling of thunder from afar occasionally racing through the air. Most of the townspeople had no intention of being caught out in the rain, many already in the safety and warmth of their homes. Why would anyone willingly walk through this summer rain?

     Adam should have stayed inside today. There was no business for him to tend to. Yet he was too restless. The notification he had woken up to had clarified that something inside him had changed. From this day forth, he was finally back to full strength. His blade was as sharp as ever, his Semblance capable of tearing apart anything, without fail. Nothing was holding him back now.

          ... Right?

     How could this be possible? Doubt should have no place in his mind anymore. The mighty Adam Taurus, respected and feared by so many in Remnant, was finally at full capacity in this foreign land. And yet... Why does doubt continue to fester inside his heart? This very doubt is what compelled him to venture out today, deep into the Mistwood. A forest of mist and fear that kept so many others at bay... The creatures that lurk in the dark, the perfect prey to hunt. Adam made no effort to let anyone know about this sudden compulsion. If anything were to go wrong, no one would find him there. No one would look.

          Why should they?

     And so he went. The Faunus took his weapon and left the city, the rain not slowing him down one bit. His clothes were fully drenched before he even reached the Ward’s edge. Yet onward he went, the hunter pressing on with nothing but a compulsion pulling him along.

     Even the Mistwood was affected by the storm, the rain giving rise to thicker fog. These conditions were abysmal for most living creatures, their vision reduced drastically. Truly, only the mythical Denizens of this place would have any possible advantage. Such monstrous figures rule this domain, and all who have survived encounters with them warn others to never tempt fate with them. It was utterly foolish for anyone to willingly walk into the foggy maw of uncertainty.

     And yet he presses on. This compulsion he cannot resist, this urge he cannot understand.

          This power... This is my liberation.

               It must be what makes me free.

                    So I’ll prove it.

     For hours on end, he remained in that forest. The storm raged on all the while. The bull wandered on as if in a trance, his own mind finding difficulty in processing what all came his way. How many times did he draw his blade? Sometimes it was for nothing. Other times, blood was surely drawn. Right? What did he cut in those moments? It wasn’t his own blood dripping from Wilt’s crimson blade, so why should it matter? The shrill cries of pain certainly weren’t human.

     No matter how many creatures came to him, none could take away his freedom to do as he pleased. That’s what his immense power was for. Right? Isn’t this the feeling he lived for? No Grimm or other beast can touch him. No human can stop him. This is the freedom that all Faunus should be entitled to-- the power to dominate. This is what he wanted for everyone.

          Everyone? Or only for Adam Taurus?

     No matter how much blood was drawn, that doubt wouldn’t go away. It kept coming back, over and over and over...! It can’t be wrong to be powerful! Why should he be at anyone’s mercy?! Why can’t they understand...?!

          What am I not understanding?

     ......................................................................

     The storm had finally passed by the time night had fallen. The city remains relatively quiet, nothing disturbing the peace-- especially in Cotes. No late night travelers, no abnormal activity to be noted. Yet amidst this calm atmosphere, the distinct walk of Adam’s shoes occasionally slips past the silence. The walk of a weakened man, an unsteady pace. The wet ground below was occasionally tainted by a drop of bright crimson. Did it come from the blade? His clothes? What did it matter?

     The compulsion was finally gone, yet satisfying the urge did little to answer his questions and doubts. He had gone out to prove his power over the untamed wilds... So why must this hole in his soul continue to fester like this? For well over a year now, it has kept gnawing away at him from the inside. Why did regaining his power not alleviate Adam of this pain, of this doubt over his own existence?

          There is no war for freedom to fight. So why do you want to fight?

               There is no outlet for your rage. So why do you continue to rage?

                    There is no need for your existence here. So why do you wish to live?

     My burdens continue to grow... Will I ever truly be liberated?

[wiltingbeast]

     There is no going back.

[wiltingbeast]

          “... Maybe this ‘Forge’ I heard about will be somewhat worth my time.“

     Adam isn’t quite in the mood for art analysis, but perhaps some time around the metal works can stir up some proper interest. If it’s enough to guide his interest towards the other venues... Well, so be it. There’s nothing more pressing for him to worry about at the moment. But with such a crowded place, it’ll be best for him to keep the mask on.

[wiltingbeast]

          “Hm... This will do nicely. For now, at least.“