Vincent Hawk
Ireth
Sexy British Professor of Music
~ Sing like no one's listening ~
Posts: 722
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Post by Vincent Hawk on Jun 26, 2010 22:11:38 GMT -5
Vincent shook with suppressed laughter, grinning as he spoke. "Hmm... the red horse... that's War, isn't it? And the pale horse is Death... oh, dear. The pale horse is Veronique. Yes. Just yes."
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Bolin Honghui
Keme
The Counselor is a TIGER
Curse not the darkness-- light a candle.
Posts: 127
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Post by Bolin Honghui on Jun 26, 2010 22:17:44 GMT -5
Bolin burst out laughing. "I revise my suggestion, then. If Vero is Death, then Notos is War."
Bolin guided the truck along a bend in the road and smirked. "Who are Famine and Pestilence, then? The black and white horses. Hmm..."
Rhythan immediately came to mind for Famine, but he had rather the opposite effect on people. Besides, he was half of the force behind their little fictional end-of-the-world.
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Vincent Hawk
Ireth
Sexy British Professor of Music
~ Sing like no one's listening ~
Posts: 722
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Post by Vincent Hawk on Jun 26, 2010 22:23:48 GMT -5
Vincent chuckled. "I have no idea. Ellie comes to mind for Pestilence, but she'd be the one trying to cure it, not bring it about. What do you think?"
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Bolin Honghui
Keme
The Counselor is a TIGER
Curse not the darkness-- light a candle.
Posts: 127
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Post by Bolin Honghui on Jun 29, 2010 22:09:09 GMT -5
"I can honestly say that I have no idea. Ellie makes sense, but like you said she'd be the cure, not the cause." He quirked his mouth to one side and was quiet for a minute or two.
"I suppose... But that would sound mean." He smirked. "I can imagine Kemekin being Pestilence, maybe."
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Vincent Hawk
Ireth
Sexy British Professor of Music
~ Sing like no one's listening ~
Posts: 722
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Post by Vincent Hawk on Jun 29, 2010 22:14:58 GMT -5
Vincent snorted with laughter. "Hah, maybe. But... no..." He grinned as another idea came to him, something he'd read in a Terry Pratchett book recently. "I'd say he seems much more like the lesser-known Fifth Horseman, Chaos."
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Bolin Honghui
Keme
The Counselor is a TIGER
Curse not the darkness-- light a candle.
Posts: 127
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Post by Bolin Honghui on Jun 29, 2010 22:24:51 GMT -5
Bolin snorted. "Oh, the Fifth. Yes, if we're including Chaos, Kemekin is most definitely it."
The truck slowed-- Bolin pulled into a tree-rimmed clearing that opened on the opposite side to face the lake. A dock had been built that extended a few yards into the water-- it appeared sturdy and clean, despite its obvious age.
"We're here," Bolin announced.
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Vincent Hawk
Ireth
Sexy British Professor of Music
~ Sing like no one's listening ~
Posts: 722
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Post by Vincent Hawk on Jun 29, 2010 22:40:02 GMT -5
Vincent looked up and grinned at the sight of sunlight flashing on the surface of the lake on the other side of the clearing. The whole place was beautiful, from the clearing and the surrounding trees to the lake itself.
"Oh, excellent!" He quickly unbuckled his seatbelt and started to climb out of the truck. "This looks wonderful. What do you think we might catch here?"
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Bolin Honghui
Keme
The Counselor is a TIGER
Curse not the darkness-- light a candle.
Posts: 127
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Post by Bolin Honghui on Jul 4, 2010 2:39:19 GMT -5
"There are pike and bluegill in the deeper parts of the lake," Bolin said as he swung smoothly out of his seat to begin unpacking the truck, "But it's not quite the right time of year for salmon." He hopped to Vincent's side and pointed to the far western edge of the lake.
"There's a bit of a drop-off past there. Goes down like steps, really, forming a sort of ladder." Her swept his hand to indicate the eastern side, which showed to taper off from a stream that bent along the treeline and out of sight. "They swim up to the shallower end and travel up river to spawn. 'Round that bend is a bit of a hang-out spot for bears." He patted the other man's back. "I wouldn't worry, though. They don't start coming around until the frosts hit."
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Vincent Hawk
Ireth
Sexy British Professor of Music
~ Sing like no one's listening ~
Posts: 722
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Post by Vincent Hawk on Jul 4, 2010 20:02:51 GMT -5
Vincent nodded, follwing Bolin's arm with his eyes as the man indicated the places he was talking about. At the mention of bears, he couldn't help but grin.
"Oh, I wasn't worried," he said lightly. "After all, we have guns, and you know how to use them."
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Bolin Honghui
Keme
The Counselor is a TIGER
Curse not the darkness-- light a candle.
Posts: 127
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Post by Bolin Honghui on Jul 19, 2010 2:12:36 GMT -5
Bolin smirked. "That's good," he said, as he turned and walked back to the truck to start unloading.
"I like to sleep outside, but I brought a one-man tent in case you're not quite as into rugged camping," he added, hefting supplies out of the truck bed.
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Vincent Hawk
Ireth
Sexy British Professor of Music
~ Sing like no one's listening ~
Posts: 722
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Post by Vincent Hawk on Jul 19, 2010 17:37:56 GMT -5
Vincent grinned as he joined Bolin in unloading the truck bed. "That's courteous of you. I think I'd like to sleep under the stars. Haven't gotten the chance to in a long while. England is too rainy to do a lot of camping, and the stars we get in Faerie are strange. Nothing like the real thing."
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Bolin Honghui
Keme
The Counselor is a TIGER
Curse not the darkness-- light a candle.
Posts: 127
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Post by Bolin Honghui on Sept 12, 2010 23:29:13 GMT -5
Bolin nodded in agreement. "Yeah. None of the constellations are the same. I can't tell you how weirded out I was on my first night, when I couldn't even find Orion's Belt."
Bolin smirked to himself. Of course, when he had first come to Dunehelden, the contents of the sky was the last thing on his worry list. But it had still struck him as odd.
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Vincent Hawk
Ireth
Sexy British Professor of Music
~ Sing like no one's listening ~
Posts: 722
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Post by Vincent Hawk on Sept 12, 2010 23:36:15 GMT -5
"I can imagin," Vincent laughed as he hefted the last of their essentials from the truck.
"I think that's the last of it," he said, leaning over to look for anything that might be eluding his sight. Satisfied that nothing was left, he turned away from the truck and grinned at Bolin. "I just hope it doesn't rain. Good thing you brought that tent; I don't imagine it would be too comfortable for both of us to sleep in the truck."
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Bolin Honghui
Keme
The Counselor is a TIGER
Curse not the darkness-- light a candle.
Posts: 127
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Post by Bolin Honghui on Sept 12, 2010 23:39:34 GMT -5
Bolin chuckled and set about putting together the fishing poles. "It's not. I promise you." His grin became quite catlike. "I took Kazari fishing once. Back when we were both at the Athenaeum. She wouldn't use a line or hook. Said it was mean to trick the fish like that." He smirked. "So she dove in and caught them with her bare hands. It was ridiculous."
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Vincent Hawk
Ireth
Sexy British Professor of Music
~ Sing like no one's listening ~
Posts: 722
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Post by Vincent Hawk on Sept 12, 2010 23:52:39 GMT -5
Vincent smirked at Bolin's feline grin, then laughed at his anecdote. "Sounds like you two had fun together."
He paused, wondering whether to voice his next question. He had never asked Bolin about his time at the Athenaeum; was it as sore a subject for him as it was for Kazari?
"What was it like at the Athenaeum?" he asked, his voice growing quieter for reasons he couldn't quite explain. "What did you do there?"
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Bolin Honghui
Keme
The Counselor is a TIGER
Curse not the darkness-- light a candle.
Posts: 127
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Post by Bolin Honghui on Sept 13, 2010 17:31:06 GMT -5
Bolin's hands worked even as his eyes watched Vincent for a moment. He seemed to be stringing the lure by muscle memory alone.
"It was... Well, I can't say much for any of the other professors. Or whatever they chose to call themselves. I'm pretty sure I was only hired because of my other form." He shrugged. "Personally, my job was similar to what I have now. I taught psychology. But not academic psychology. It was much more akin to psychological terrorism. How to get into your opponent's head. Bring out their weaknesses. Epitomize their fears and their connections." He grimaced. "How to focus anger like a lazer. That sort of thing."
He wondered if he should mention the many times his job was threatened when he refused to single out students for practical lessons. And then the effects it had on people like Kazari...
Bolin shook his head. "I like to think that it was just a bad dream. That it never happened. But then I wake up every morning and see this." He lifted up the hem of his t-shirt to show the ragged scar stretched from just below the left side of his sternum to just above the opposite hip bone. He arched an eyebrow. "I can hardly pretend that that's not there."
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Vincent Hawk
Ireth
Sexy British Professor of Music
~ Sing like no one's listening ~
Posts: 722
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Post by Vincent Hawk on Sept 13, 2010 17:42:51 GMT -5
Vincent listened quietly to Bolin's story, nodding every once in a while. The description Bolin gave of his former job was... quite freaky, to put it lightly. By the look on his face, it hadn't been very enjoyable either. Poor man.
Then Bolin lifted up his shirt, and Vincent sucked in a soft breath at the sight of the scar on his friend's lower torso. He cringed in sympathy, wondering how on earth he'd received such a scar, but being too polite to ask. He settled for a few slow nods.
"I know how you feel," he said softly. "Some nightmares never quite go away." The scars on Vincent's own face were a testament to that; he resisted the urge to draw attention to them. If Bolin wanted to know how he'd gotten them, he was free to ask.
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Bolin Honghui
Keme
The Counselor is a TIGER
Curse not the darkness-- light a candle.
Posts: 127
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Post by Bolin Honghui on Sept 13, 2010 17:47:03 GMT -5
Bolin went back to stringing the lure, looping the line just so around the hook.
"I tell you mine if you tell me yours," he offered, referring to the stories behind their scars.
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Vincent Hawk
Ireth
Sexy British Professor of Music
~ Sing like no one's listening ~
Posts: 722
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Post by Vincent Hawk on Sept 13, 2010 18:06:04 GMT -5
Vincent had to laugh at the line. "Alright. Where to begin...
"Nine p.m., October eleventh, 2009. One Professor Conall, alias 'Creeps McGee', woke from an Ellie-induced coma and went on a feeding frenzy. He found Dubhiarr MacNamara in the courtyard and drank from her, leaving her in the courtyard unconscious, where Jaebi Lyckander found her. I was on patrol, and Jaebi shouted to get my attention.
"I picked Dubhiarr up and started to carry her back into the school, when I found that Ariel had been following us, having heard Jaebi's shouting. I took them both back into the school and got Dubhiarr settled down in the infirmary, and then started to lead Jaebi and Ariel to their dorms. We were joined by Korlian along the way.
"The four of us pressed on, until we found Diana, Ellie and Ian Harris in the halls with Conall. Diana was in wolf form; Conall was tripping badly on Dubhiarr's blood by that time, and spouting gibberish; Ian was unconscious. I tried to get the others past then, but Conall grabbed Ariel and pulled her from my grasp, calling me a ghoul.
"Jaebi shifted to cheetah form, and I told him to help Ellie get Ian to the infirmary. Korlian and I tried to persuade Conall to let Ariel go, but he 'laid claim' to her by licking her neck. I grabbed Ariel and pulled her away from Conall, telling her to find the Headmaster. Korlian then attempted to strangle Conall, but -- foolishly and selfishly, I admit -- in a fit of rage I told him to leave him to me.
"Once Korlian had moved aside, I tried to strangle Conall myself, but having been given a moment to get his breath back when Korlian let him go, he was able to overpower me. He tore off my mask and gave me these in the struggle." He gestured to the scars that ran down his cheek.
"Diana then finished the fight by leaping onto Conall and tearing his throat out. Korlian claimed Conall's teeth as a prize. Ariel soon returned with Jaebi and Veronique, everyone was taken to the infirmary and patched up, and I buried Conall's remains that night in a shallow grave."
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Bolin Honghui
Keme
The Counselor is a TIGER
Curse not the darkness-- light a candle.
Posts: 127
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Post by Bolin Honghui on Sept 13, 2010 18:17:46 GMT -5
Bolin watched Vincent attentively as he spoke, like a soldier listening for orders. He had been told the gist of the story, but the details had been kept on a strictly need to know basis.
Bolin had the oddest urge to stand and use the fishing pole to knight Vincent. But that would be weird. Bolin had come to blame these strange impulses of spontaneity on Kemekin.
He smiled at Vincent-- it was a look he reserved for people he respected. Bright-eyed, completely open. He had only ever given his father and younger brother that smile.
"I'm afraid," he said after a moment, "that my story isn't quite so noble."
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Vincent Hawk
Ireth
Sexy British Professor of Music
~ Sing like no one's listening ~
Posts: 722
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Post by Vincent Hawk on Sept 13, 2010 18:26:03 GMT -5
Vincent immediately noticed the change in bolin's smile; it seemed more open, respectful. Not that it hadn't been respectful before, but this was deeper somehow. He had to wonder for a moment why that was. Vincent had admitted his blatant foolishness in taking Conall on by himself. There was nothing noble in being too stubborn to back down from a futile fight.
He pushed those dark thoughts from his mind, looking at Bolin in a morbid kind of curiosity as he spoke. "Oh...?"
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Bolin Honghui
Keme
The Counselor is a TIGER
Curse not the darkness-- light a candle.
Posts: 127
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Post by Bolin Honghui on Sept 13, 2010 18:38:44 GMT -5
Bolin smirked. "First, you should know who gave me this." He tapped his chest to indicate his scar through the fabric of his shirt. "Kazari's claws hurt like a bitch."
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Vincent Hawk
Ireth
Sexy British Professor of Music
~ Sing like no one's listening ~
Posts: 722
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Post by Vincent Hawk on Sept 13, 2010 18:49:03 GMT -5
"Kazari?" Vincent repeated, caught rather off-guard. She didn't seem the type to be violent, at least without need to be. But for her to wound a professor that way -- the thought was startling, and somewhat unnerving. There had to be a legitimate reason behind it. Perhaps it had been an accident, when she was in the throes of a first transformation?
"What on earth happened?" he asked, incredulous.
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Bolin Honghui
Keme
The Counselor is a TIGER
Curse not the darkness-- light a candle.
Posts: 127
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Post by Bolin Honghui on Sept 13, 2010 19:23:40 GMT -5
"Wellp," Bolin clapped his hands onto his knees and stood. "The teaching methods at the Athenaeum were, as you must understand, less than ideal for healthy levels of self-control. That's exactly the kind of environment that people like Kazari cannot function in. It literally corroded the girl. Drove her crazy. My heart went out to her. She reminded me of myself when I first realized I was a feline. So I took her in. She stayed with me in my dorm. We took care of each other." He smiled. "I tried to undo what the Athenaeum had put in her head, and in return she made sure that I smiled at least once a day. It was like we were family."
He then seemed struck by a sudden thought. "She never talked about her family in the present tense, you know? I'd thought for sure they were dead. I mean, I wasn't going to ask, but after her grandfather died, I started looking up adoption paperwork. But when her grandfather died, it was like everything that the Athenaeum had taught her about rage and channeling anger into power came back, even after all the time I'd spent trying to fix it."
He scratched his chest, as if his scar were responding to the memories. "It started off as a regular argument. She bumped into another student in the hallway, and the other kid must not have heard her apologize, because he pushed her. Kazari stumbled and hit her head on the wall, and as soon as she saw blood, all that rage flowed out. She literally ripped into this kid as soon as she went feral. But she didn't stop. She took out the next person she saw. And the next. By the time I got there, the only thing I could do was go tiger and try to stop her. I herded the nearest students out of her reach, and then she set her sights on me." He paused then, and seemed to be bracing himself. "I'd hoped she would recognize me in her panicked state. But of course she didn't. She attacked me as if I were a threat to her very existence. I don't know what was going through her head, but it had to have been horrible." He looked at Vincent. "So I did what I had to. I swiped at her skull. The blow itself would have knocked her out, but she collided with the wall. That's when I pulled up the paperwork to send her away. To Dunehelden. Where she'd be safer. I didn't realize that the blow to her skull had given her amnesia. It took her a few weeks before she remembered the fight." He sighed. "She doesn't remember anything at the Athenaeum before that. Nothing."
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Vincent Hawk
Ireth
Sexy British Professor of Music
~ Sing like no one's listening ~
Posts: 722
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Post by Vincent Hawk on Sept 13, 2010 19:39:24 GMT -5
Vincent listened raptly to Bolin's story, feeling his heart go out to the other man for what he must have gone through trying to keep Kazari sane, and ultimately having it all become undone because of an accident. Being a father himself, Vincent understood the paternal bond that had formed between Bolin and Kazari, which made the incident all the more devastating.
"I'm so sorry," he said softly, moving automatically closer to the other man. He wanted badly to embrace him like a brother, to let him know he understood, but something told him Bolin wasn't quite the type to appreciate hugs. He settled for laying a hand on Bolin's shoulder and patting it gently, looking at him with compassionate eyes.
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