"Well that's disappointing." Ana said as the newcomer went away without responding to her queries. She folded her arms. "A few things people." She put on her serious voice for this. "Item one: Seb, do not EVER threaten anyone explicitly or implicitly without my blessing EVER AGAIN. Am I clear? I don't care what you believe is the right way to play this game now. That isn't it." She sounded angrier than she was. More disappointed really.
She returned to her normal voice again. "That said, Seb is right in that we should be more accessible. I'll admit to being caught in the moment. I promise to tone that down should we run into someone else. Anyway Item 2: In agreement with Shawn, I believe it best that we depart from here. Given that our newcomer was clearly communicating with someone more than likely on his team, we have to assume we're at a disadvantage now. Staying here would be unwise. As to where to go, leave that to you guys."
She unfolded her arms and began pacing back and forth. Speech mode would last just a little longer. "Item 3: The state of things to come. I don't think you two," she gestured to Sebastien and Jackson "realize just how serious I am here. This is not a joke, not some bout of insanity I'm spouting. This is me being more real than anyone or anything has ever been here. If you can't deal with that... Well I suggest you decide if you really want to stay. Because one way or another, I'm going to take control of this game."
"Now I'm going to get my weapon back. I'll follow you guys out."
She closed the door behind her and sighed. Alone again. And time for another small speech. She whispered so as not to be heard by the boys outside. "Another situation like that and I'll shoot someone. This is going to be more difficult than I thought. Oh well. Maxim 2: AnArchy is not weakness. Its strength. Strength to be peaceful and kind, and strength to destroy malice and wickedness when necessary. And don't think I won't demonstrate that if need be."
She picked up her camo jacket, put it on. Slung her pack around her back. Picked up her gun.
"After all, I know how to use you don't I Reznov."
Thank you dad and your crappy old CoD games.
Killer Munchies
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Lord_Shadow
- Posts: 536
- Joined: Thu Aug 09, 2018 2:43 am
- Team Affiliation: Emmy's Selkies
There was once a dumb psuedo-news line here. Now there's this pretentious nonsense. YOU1 DID THIS, YOU1 KNOW WHO YOU1 ARE!
1. Yeah you, you nefarious ne'er-do-well you.
1. Yeah you, you nefarious ne'er-do-well you.
Sebastien bit the inside of his cheek when Ana started speaking and continued biting down harder the more she went on. I need your permission to talk, now? I'm not taking this seriously? I'm not taking this seriously!?
He kept his jaw clenched and his arms crossed until Ana disappeared into the theater again. He tasted copper. Slowly and deliberately, he turned away from the door Ana had entered and took a deep breath.
"Where do you guys think we should go?" He addressed Shawn and Jackson without looking directly at either of them, concentrating on taking deep breaths. He knew his face was probably red and he wasn't exactly the picture of composure right now, but if they didn't bring it up, neither would he.
"Honestly, I'd rather stay here. Pick a place, set up there, and defend it. The bigger our group gets, the more conspicuous we are if we go running around." And maybe a grouchy, petty part of Sebastien just wanted to oppose Ana after the verbal lashing she'd just given him, but they weren't going to talk about that.
Shawn could play lapdog all he wanted. Sebastien was going to do what it took to maintain order, and if Ana's little rules put them in danger, well. Rules were made to be broken, in that case.
He kept his jaw clenched and his arms crossed until Ana disappeared into the theater again. He tasted copper. Slowly and deliberately, he turned away from the door Ana had entered and took a deep breath.
"Where do you guys think we should go?" He addressed Shawn and Jackson without looking directly at either of them, concentrating on taking deep breaths. He knew his face was probably red and he wasn't exactly the picture of composure right now, but if they didn't bring it up, neither would he.
"Honestly, I'd rather stay here. Pick a place, set up there, and defend it. The bigger our group gets, the more conspicuous we are if we go running around." And maybe a grouchy, petty part of Sebastien just wanted to oppose Ana after the verbal lashing she'd just given him, but they weren't going to talk about that.
Shawn could play lapdog all he wanted. Sebastien was going to do what it took to maintain order, and if Ana's little rules put them in danger, well. Rules were made to be broken, in that case.
Everything got real for half a second, and Ana was out the door, leaving a Sebastien that may or may have been less than appeased by what she said. At least if his suggestion to not leave was any indication.
He had to give it to that girl, though. She had a way about her, made you want to shut up and listen. He wasn't a fan of getting talked down to, but whatever.
Sebastien had a good point, about sticking around. But then, there was a monkey wrench in that plan.
Jackson nodded his head toward where Ana went, big hat flopping and then bouncing back up. "I don't think she's gonna do anything but what she wants to do." He waited a beat, then added another point. "She's got a gun, too. Kind of an asset."
He had to give it to that girl, though. She had a way about her, made you want to shut up and listen. He wasn't a fan of getting talked down to, but whatever.
Sebastien had a good point, about sticking around. But then, there was a monkey wrench in that plan.
Jackson nodded his head toward where Ana went, big hat flopping and then bouncing back up. "I don't think she's gonna do anything but what she wants to do." He waited a beat, then added another point. "She's got a gun, too. Kind of an asset."
It was with a look of shock on his face that Shawn watched Anastasia leave the room. He couldn’t remember ever seeing her angry like that; she just wasn’t the kind of person who snapped. Then again, if there was ever a situation when she was serious, a situation that could drive someone to the edge and then push them over it, it was SotF.
Still, he might have to talk to her about it later, because one look at Sebastien’s face would let anyone know that she had gone too far.
Shawn didn’t want to have to play peace keeper in this group and if he could stop fights before they started he was going to.
"Where do you guys think we should go?"
Ok buddy, you don’t want to talk about it, I’ll play along. He took another drink from his water bottle before reaching for his bag again; he swapped the water out for his map and began looking it over for an answer to Sebastien’s question.
Wherever they were it seemed like the theatre wasn’t the only source of entertainment around; a bowling alley, casino, sports centre. Lots of places were tourists could have fun and also a lot of big buildings where lots or people could be hiding. There was also an entire orchard to the south of them but Shawn was certain that whatever place they went to next was going to have four walls and a ceiling. Trees were nice and everything but his look towards the door had shown snow on the ground and… just no.
"Honestly, I'd rather stay here. Pick a place, set up there, and defend it. The bigger our group gets, the more conspicuous we are if we go running around."
It was a fair point. They should try to set up someplace safe as soon as they could, before the group got so large they couldn’t move everyone easily, but that place couldn’t be here. Shawn wasn’t certain the guy was going to come back with more people looking for a fight but it was a risk and this wasn’t the kind of situation were they could let risks go unanswered and hope it turned out ok.
Plus, Shawn couldn’t help but wonder whether the suggestion to stay wasn’t partly motivated by annoyance at Anastasia. He didn’t think Sebastien was the sort of person to let that affect his judgement, but he didn’t know the guy too well.
“I agree we should try to set up somewhere safe, but it can’t be here, not when there is someone out there who knows where we are. Ok, admittedly that doesn’t make much sense when we want people to find us, but it just doesn’t feel safe here anymore.”
Shawn glanced at the map again; they would still need somewhere big enough to hold a large group and hopefully somewhere close so they didn’t have to spend ages walking across open ground to get there. “There is a casino, a cabaret and a sports centre close by. Those could all make good places to hold up; they’re big enough to hold a large group, which we’ll hopefully have, and they aren’t too far from here.”
Jackson was the next to chime in, nodding his big, floppy hat towards where Anastasia had gone.
"I don't think she's gonna do anything but what she wants to do. She's got a gun, too. Kind of an asset."
Oh boy. It looked like Anastasia’s behaviour was already starting to become a divisive element in the group; her… intensity had already angered Sebastien and Jackson was fully prepared for her to begin with.
“Listen, guys. I know Anastasia can be a little…” Shawn sort of flailed his arms towards the door Anastasia had passed through in an attempt to convey everything that she was. “But trust me; she’s got a way out of this. She’s more on the ball and, well, sane than either of you are probably thinking. She’s just a little highly strung and stressed from taking all of this on and it’s making her a little intense and apparently more irritable than she normally is.
“Like she said, if you want to leave no-one is going to stop you. But I hope you won’t.”
Still, he might have to talk to her about it later, because one look at Sebastien’s face would let anyone know that she had gone too far.
Shawn didn’t want to have to play peace keeper in this group and if he could stop fights before they started he was going to.
"Where do you guys think we should go?"
Ok buddy, you don’t want to talk about it, I’ll play along. He took another drink from his water bottle before reaching for his bag again; he swapped the water out for his map and began looking it over for an answer to Sebastien’s question.
Wherever they were it seemed like the theatre wasn’t the only source of entertainment around; a bowling alley, casino, sports centre. Lots of places were tourists could have fun and also a lot of big buildings where lots or people could be hiding. There was also an entire orchard to the south of them but Shawn was certain that whatever place they went to next was going to have four walls and a ceiling. Trees were nice and everything but his look towards the door had shown snow on the ground and… just no.
"Honestly, I'd rather stay here. Pick a place, set up there, and defend it. The bigger our group gets, the more conspicuous we are if we go running around."
It was a fair point. They should try to set up someplace safe as soon as they could, before the group got so large they couldn’t move everyone easily, but that place couldn’t be here. Shawn wasn’t certain the guy was going to come back with more people looking for a fight but it was a risk and this wasn’t the kind of situation were they could let risks go unanswered and hope it turned out ok.
Plus, Shawn couldn’t help but wonder whether the suggestion to stay wasn’t partly motivated by annoyance at Anastasia. He didn’t think Sebastien was the sort of person to let that affect his judgement, but he didn’t know the guy too well.
“I agree we should try to set up somewhere safe, but it can’t be here, not when there is someone out there who knows where we are. Ok, admittedly that doesn’t make much sense when we want people to find us, but it just doesn’t feel safe here anymore.”
Shawn glanced at the map again; they would still need somewhere big enough to hold a large group and hopefully somewhere close so they didn’t have to spend ages walking across open ground to get there. “There is a casino, a cabaret and a sports centre close by. Those could all make good places to hold up; they’re big enough to hold a large group, which we’ll hopefully have, and they aren’t too far from here.”
Jackson was the next to chime in, nodding his big, floppy hat towards where Anastasia had gone.
"I don't think she's gonna do anything but what she wants to do. She's got a gun, too. Kind of an asset."
Oh boy. It looked like Anastasia’s behaviour was already starting to become a divisive element in the group; her… intensity had already angered Sebastien and Jackson was fully prepared for her to begin with.
“Listen, guys. I know Anastasia can be a little…” Shawn sort of flailed his arms towards the door Anastasia had passed through in an attempt to convey everything that she was. “But trust me; she’s got a way out of this. She’s more on the ball and, well, sane than either of you are probably thinking. She’s just a little highly strung and stressed from taking all of this on and it’s making her a little intense and apparently more irritable than she normally is.
“Like she said, if you want to leave no-one is going to stop you. But I hope you won’t.”
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Lord_Shadow
- Posts: 536
- Joined: Thu Aug 09, 2018 2:43 am
- Team Affiliation: Emmy's Selkies
Anastasia made her way back to the group. With a sigh, she spoke up. "Sebastien, I want to apologize for my outburst just now. You're just trying to keep us safe, not jeopardize my vision. Sorry if I made it seem like I'm against that." She smiled again. "So, where are we going? Somewhere warm still, I hope. This jacket isn't going to make up for all the cold this dress will bring me."
She chuckled and smiled again. All laughs and smiles. Get the angry boy back on her side. Use every little thing at her disposal to do that. She honestly felt guilty about trying to use him like this, but he had to realize who was really in charge here. If it took smiling subterfuge to regain control, that was what she was going to do.
She chuckled and smiled again. All laughs and smiles. Get the angry boy back on her side. Use every little thing at her disposal to do that. She honestly felt guilty about trying to use him like this, but he had to realize who was really in charge here. If it took smiling subterfuge to regain control, that was what she was going to do.
There was once a dumb psuedo-news line here. Now there's this pretentious nonsense. YOU1 DID THIS, YOU1 KNOW WHO YOU1 ARE!
1. Yeah you, you nefarious ne'er-do-well you.
1. Yeah you, you nefarious ne'er-do-well you.
((Skipping to exit, since we're nearing deadline.))
Sebastien took another deep breath as Shawn and Jackson talked, and has mostly returned to normal by the time Ana returned. Smiles, apologies, both of them kind of sorry but not really. Whatever. Just do what it takes to keep things together now.
"I guess we can give all those places a look as we go by, but if we're really concerned about whoever that was coming back with reinforcements, we might need to go a little further."
He glanced in Ana's direction, not quite looking her in the face. "Ana gets final say, I guess. Let's get going."
((Sebastien Bellamy continued in Bitter Dream))
Sebastien took another deep breath as Shawn and Jackson talked, and has mostly returned to normal by the time Ana returned. Smiles, apologies, both of them kind of sorry but not really. Whatever. Just do what it takes to keep things together now.
"I guess we can give all those places a look as we go by, but if we're really concerned about whoever that was coming back with reinforcements, we might need to go a little further."
He glanced in Ana's direction, not quite looking her in the face. "Ana gets final say, I guess. Let's get going."
((Sebastien Bellamy continued in Bitter Dream))
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Lord_Shadow
- Posts: 536
- Joined: Thu Aug 09, 2018 2:43 am
- Team Affiliation: Emmy's Selkies
((Skipping to move on. Apologies.))
Anastasia said nothing as Seb replied. She just kept smiling, smiled at Jackson, smiled at Shawn, smiled for the cameras.
No words, only thoughts. Thoughts most definitely undeserving of a smile.
She hated it. Having to lie about what she was really feeling. What Seb did was more than stupid. It undermined her authority. Undermined the core of her philosophy. The only thing that could have been worse is if he had backed up that threat. Or one of the others joined in the insubordination.
She had declared herself an exalt and a queen. That boy reminded her that she was just a girl. The reality was she was no greater than anyone else.
FUCK REALITY!
Her declaration wasn't going to remain a joke. Not here. Reality could bite her. Out here, in the lawless world of SOTF, she would be a queen. An empress, a goddess, whatever she wanted.
And everyone would have to listen to and obey her.
Because if they didn't, then they would certainly come to regret it.
She was trying to save as many people as she could.
But if they didn't follow her, they wouldn't be going home.
None of them would be leaving her world without her permission. Everyone else could delude themselves into thinking they had control of their lives here. That was false. There was only one source of control here. One authority.
Hers.
And people had better start following it. Because there wasn't a refusal option to her utopia.
She smiled at Shawn and blew him a kiss. "Come on babe, let's go out there and expand our kingdom!"
((Anastasia Arcadia continued in Bitter Dream))
Anastasia said nothing as Seb replied. She just kept smiling, smiled at Jackson, smiled at Shawn, smiled for the cameras.
No words, only thoughts. Thoughts most definitely undeserving of a smile.
She hated it. Having to lie about what she was really feeling. What Seb did was more than stupid. It undermined her authority. Undermined the core of her philosophy. The only thing that could have been worse is if he had backed up that threat. Or one of the others joined in the insubordination.
She had declared herself an exalt and a queen. That boy reminded her that she was just a girl. The reality was she was no greater than anyone else.
FUCK REALITY!
Her declaration wasn't going to remain a joke. Not here. Reality could bite her. Out here, in the lawless world of SOTF, she would be a queen. An empress, a goddess, whatever she wanted.
And everyone would have to listen to and obey her.
Because if they didn't, then they would certainly come to regret it.
She was trying to save as many people as she could.
But if they didn't follow her, they wouldn't be going home.
None of them would be leaving her world without her permission. Everyone else could delude themselves into thinking they had control of their lives here. That was false. There was only one source of control here. One authority.
Hers.
And people had better start following it. Because there wasn't a refusal option to her utopia.
She smiled at Shawn and blew him a kiss. "Come on babe, let's go out there and expand our kingdom!"
((Anastasia Arcadia continued in Bitter Dream))
There was once a dumb psuedo-news line here. Now there's this pretentious nonsense. YOU1 DID THIS, YOU1 KNOW WHO YOU1 ARE!
1. Yeah you, you nefarious ne'er-do-well you.
1. Yeah you, you nefarious ne'er-do-well you.
They were decided in a heartbeat. And Jackson, by now a supporting actor in what may or may not have been a pretty good show, decided he followed. He didn't have much to offer, but having some allies was worth going along with.
((Jackson King continued in Bitter Dream))
((Jackson King continued in Bitter Dream))
Ana’s return to the group was a… tense moment to be sure. She apologised, which Shawn was glad for, but neither her apology nor Sebastien’s acceptance of it really gave him hope that the whole issue was over and done with. Too formal, too forced, too cold; Shawn could foresee an argument between the two in the future and he did not relish the idea of jumping in the middle and playing peacekeeper.
Play this wrong and he could easily end up the target of both of their wraths.
"Come on babe, let's go out there and expand our kingdom!"
Anastasia seemed in high spirits at least, but after her outburst he wasn’t sure if she was just quick to forgive or was better at hiding her emotions than he thought. It was a worry, but still, as long as she was pretending to be happy it might help keep Sebastien happy and as long as the two of them weren’t threatening to put him in the middle he was happy as well.
Everybody was happy and nobody was getting hurt.
What more could he ask for?
“Right behind you.”
((Shawn Thornton continued in Bitter Work))
Play this wrong and he could easily end up the target of both of their wraths.
"Come on babe, let's go out there and expand our kingdom!"
Anastasia seemed in high spirits at least, but after her outburst he wasn’t sure if she was just quick to forgive or was better at hiding her emotions than he thought. It was a worry, but still, as long as she was pretending to be happy it might help keep Sebastien happy and as long as the two of them weren’t threatening to put him in the middle he was happy as well.
Everybody was happy and nobody was getting hurt.
What more could he ask for?
“Right behind you.”
((Shawn Thornton continued in Bitter Work))