Welcome to The Duality of Man, an original animanga role-play that features numerous supernatural creatures. Unfortunately, these various species have distanced themselves because of the war that occurred thousands of years ago, plaguing some with eyes that only see their dualism. While others meddle themself with their differences, two groups fight, each attempting to eliminate the other in for their definition of worldly peace. These two groups of the Terror Response Syndicate (TRS) and the Assembly of Phantoms (AP). With individuals fighting merely over their differences, it brings uncertainty to the outcome of this war.
We happily accept all role-players as long as they obey the rules and are capable of meeting our word count of 50. This does include those who are unfamiliar with this style of role-playing. The staff of The Duality of Man are willing to happily help those who are new to the role-playing world so they feel comfortable on site. Feel free to message the staff if you need help, they can be found here or in the site Discord and will gladly answer questions alongside calm concerns. If you have any suggestions we would love to hear them; guests may use the support board as a suggestion area as well. Should you decide to join, may I say welcome to the site and we all hope you enjoy your time here.
Yours Truely,
The Staff
season
Summer 2024
Heat has broken through into a glorious summer. The snow has entirely dried through the spring, leaving to the brilliance of the warmer months. Terror activity has risen as people are brought out of their homes, leaving the TRS in a position of consistent work. Each are attempting to maintain victory in the endless struggle for power.
Since the wonderful members of TDOM enjoy the site enough to play around on it, this thread is to assist with the site's tidying! Functionality is important and we want to make the site functional even if its activity will be minimal at best!
The heavy grey clouds above which threatened to cast down snow any second seemed to have scared away most of the parks visitors. Slumbering trees that were quietly rooted into the frost laden earth hummed their snores through their worn branches as they danced in the air. The fountain whose running waters would splash into the shimmering water below now rested like the rest of the world. With the embracing cold its pumps had grown still allowing for thin layers of ice to lick at the fountains stony surface. The chilling grasp of winter had taken its hold upon the land framing the grey and brown picture in bleakness. The only small comfort that Vala found in the landscape were the two steaming cups held lightly in her gloved hands.
While roaming the park Vala had come across a lone table that sat just a short way from the fountain. Behind stood a old oak whose bare branches had seen much better days as they shivered periodically. Having taken a seat upon one of the two worn iron benches Vala took a few moments to soak in the world around her. From the chill that nipped at her nose to the creaking of the trees it was easy to see why winter was considered the season of death. Nothing bloomed. Nothing grew. The world was asleep. The birds had flown south and the rest of the creatures had burrowed in the earth to dream deeply. Now here she was. Blue eyes locked towards the decayed landscape and loving every moment of it. The month of her birth. She was brought into the world on a day just like this. At least that's what she'd been told. It was only natural for her to love this season of death.
Pulling her attention away from the looming clouds above Vala allowed herself a small sip from her cup. The nearly boiling coffee surged across her lips before trickling down her throat. Its essence was bitter to her taste. The black liquid was as plain as coffee goers could venture. No cream. No sugar. Just the way she liked it. Vala often thought that any coffee that was worthwhile needed nothing to amazing a persons taste. Anything added to the black liquid gold was only an insult to the brewer; much like asking for ketchup at a french restaurant.
Sighing slowly Vala placed the cup upon the tables surface before glancing around the park once more. Aside from the lone walker and his dog in the distance the open area was lacking any life. On a normal day when the sun shone with all its might the park was filled to the brim with people. Kids shouting as they played tag. Care free teens playing frisbee. Elderly feeding pigeons scarps of old bread. Now it was little more than a grave yard with only the death hum of nature. She found it quite lovely.
"He's late... again." Vala sighed to herself after checking her phone before shoving it back into her faded jeans.
After hours of fiddling with a fickle potion recipe, Malakai was certain he had managed the new and advanced recipe. Success meant that a potion mixture of anti-venom and disinfectant could be created; which sounded useful for both cleaning pathogens from a wound and getting rid of possible toxins. The clock within the basement ticked away while the human worked towards completing the latest brew of potion, the corners of his lips tugged into a smile. A quick dispersing of the liquid into bottles alongside a pinch more magic being placed on the potions and the batch was completed. The aftermath resulted in his potion working clothes being more filth covered; stains being covered by newly forming ones. A quick glance was taken towards the old clock, he appeared to have finished early which meant he could still meet his high school friend on time.
There was a determination not to be late and even traffic problems were not going to stop him. A few minutes were taken for a shower before Malakai changed into fresh clothing. The jacket was tugged onto his shoulders, zipped all the way due to the looming, snow-bearing clouds. His pale hands searched fruitlessly for his phone; he probably left it downstairs on the old couch with his excellent condition spellbook. Hastily, the field medic stomped down the stairs and towards the couch while taking a glance at the clock. For a moment, his eyes paused on the clock and a smile came across his face; he was still making great time. The tall man grabbed his phone, clicking the power button which caused his face to drop. A realization was made towards the clock in the basement, which is that the time was wrong; a few minutes behind to be specific. He was going to be late again.
Quickly, the field medic shoved the phone into his coat pocket and made his way up the stairs while bidding his father a hasty goodbye. The run towards Crow Feather Park seemed ridiculously slow and once Malakai arrived in the eerily silent park. Upon entering, the bashful man's nerves seemed to go on alert which made each step sound like it was echoing. Despite only hearing the crouch of snow beneath his feet, there was still a countenance of nervousness on his face. A few moments were taken wandering around in a pair of blue jeans and a black jacket while looking for the location where he was suppose to meet Vala. As usual, the thick rimmed, black glasses sat on Malakai's face, allowing the young man to see. She was probably holding a hot cup of coffee while waiting for him to arrive and he could imagine that she could possibly be displeased by his lateness. The park was frost covered, emphasizing the silence of winter with a creepy lifelessness. As Malakai continued wandering he saw a dog walker, who he shyly avoided eye contact with, and finally saw Vala sitting alone at a table.
The bashful man hoped he has not caused her to wait too long for him, it was rude for him to be late twice in a row. The tall man rushed over, feeling guilty for his lack of punctuality and silently wishing he had checked his phone earlier. Shyly, Malakai approached the table his gaze locked towards his feet like a child who knew they did wrong.
"I-i am so sorry, Vala. I... I... sorry. I got c-caught up in something... a-a-and I didn't check my phone... S-sorry," Malakai apologized.
The tone in his voice alongside the demeanor of his posture conveyed how horrible he felt for being late again. His shoulders drooped a bit, his expression bore a frown and his gaze remained locked on his shoes. There were no blame made towards the clock with the incorrect time. It was his own fault for having a moment of idiocy and not checking his phone prior to beginning his next brew. The bashful man prayed that Vala would not be mad at him for being late again since it already made him feel terrible.
Chin resting the palm of her hand Vala sighed quietly to herself. It wasn't being alone that caused her aura to be bogged in the mire. When she had been younger Vala held onto others like glue. Youthful and untainted her younger self always wished to be in the spotlight; trying to get attention from anyone that would give her a moment. Whether it was showing off the drawing she'd done or performing a cart wheel she showed everyone her talents. No... what really bothered her was tardiness.
"If only there was a device that could tell time." Grunting to herself Vala took another sip from her coffee.
School, work, sleeping; between their busy schedules it wasn't often that either herself or Malakai could meet up like this. Out of everyone she knew Malaki was really the only person she could call a friend. They'd met some years ago in high school. Vala knew as soon as she saw him that he was like herself; screwed up. It was something in a persons eye. A distant or cold stare that told much more than words ever could. The look was one she was all to familiar with when looking in the mirror. It was this that drew her close to Malakai; closer than anyone else had been for many years. This wasn't to say that Vala had opened up to him much but she found the young, awkward man enjoyable to be around... that was when he wasn't late.
"Speak of the devil." Muttering to herself Vala came to stand as Malakai came towards her looking like a dog after they'd tore into the trash.
Arms crossed and tapping her foot in a disapproving manner Vala loomed over Malakai with all the force of her aura upon him. If there was one thing she truly hated it was to be kept waiting.
"For such a perfectionist he's rarely on time." Vala thought to herself; her rage still alive in the air.
As quick as her anger was to flare up at Malakai it vanished like water in the desert. Malakai was her friend; the only one she had. Not only that; Vala worried about him. With all of his talents, intellect, and looks (for a male) his self esteem was basically non-existent. After all the years they'd been friends Vala couldn't recall a single moment when he'd stood up for himself. Whether it was the wrong order at a restaurant or being picked on; that's were Vala came in. With a glaring personality and the strength to back it up few messed with Vala and those who did went to the hospital. Vala of course was more than happy enough to stand up for Malakai but she wish he'd do it himself. She knew in the long run it wasn't good to help him out of jams as often as she did... but he was the only person who at least cared about her in the slightest. If something happened to him Vala's only companion would be herself. "It's fine. Gave me time to myself. So really you did me a favor." Vala spoke in her natural toneless voice. It was a poly of course. Vala had been angered by him but she couldn't stand to see him in such a pitiful stance. This way she hoped that maybe he'd be back to his mostly normal self.
"In fact I owe you one for that." Picking up the second coffee Vala placed it into Malakai's hands before picking up her own. "There we go. We are even now." Patting Malakai on the shoulder Vala took a sip from her cup. "Mal... we really gotta work on this." Vala thought to herself as the coffee flowed into her mouth.
Mistakes by all means were something everyone made and were usually easily let go of. In Malakai's case it was completely different since being a perfectionist had resulted in him fearing the concept of making them. Eye contact was impossible for the bashful man to make in the presence of his friend who he has just wronged for a second time in a row. Work seemed to delay these meeting frequently, at least in the field medic's case since a plethora of his time was spent attempting to perfect a useful remedy for the battlefield. Methods to assist in the healing of his allies so that perhaps the fight would not be littered with too many casualties. Alas, his head always got consistently wrapped up in his works and to the point that despite his perfectionist attitude he ran into moments like this.
The tall man felt guilty for his lack of time awareness since there were so many ways rectify the issue. It was simplistic, like setting an alarm for when it was nearly time for him to leave. Then again, the suggested the possibility of a potion exploding in his face due to suddenly being startled. He kept pondering for a few moments, brown eyes still remaining locked on the ground and his mind worrying about possible chastising for his lack of punctuality. Nervousness kept creeping in, which caused Malakai to begin biting his lower lip and even his breathing seemed to quicken a bit. It was the effects of making a mistakes as both fear and anxiousness intermingled. What his mother had done to him still tightly held on him. The words of hate she spilled and the damage she caused had permanently transformed him into a nervous mess.
Due to his anxiousness he began to fidget with the cuffs of his jacket. He found himself tempted to apologize again because of his tardiness. When Vala spoke in her usual voice, the natural toneless voice Malakai had grown use to he eased. She stated that it was alright even going the length to call it a favor. Gradually, his breathing soothed and he managed to straighten himself a little bit.
"B-but... I-i am really sorry. I... um... had a dumb m-moment," he mumbled quietly.
There was guilt written in his voice alongside the usual awkwardness his anxious words tended to provide. The bashful man was clueless on how exactly to remedy the situation, something that he felt was a requirement despite Vala stating it was fine. Perhaps he would pay for lunch sometime or her coffee since that seemed like a positive apology gift for one of the very few friends he was still in contact with. Most of his high school friends rarely messaged him since he moved to Newfoundland after the incident. Considering how depressed he behaved after the move it made sense, especially since the first few days afterwards he could barely bring himself to answer any messages. When Vala handed him the coffee and patted his shoulder, Malakai felt a little better to the point where he flashed a polite smile.
"T-thank-you. I p-promise to not be... late next time," Malakai stated awkwardly.
Mentally, the bashful man began to devise a plan that would result in him not being tardy for their next meeting. He still felt bad for the other two occasions, which made him feel a requirement to fulfill that promise. Generally, Malakai enjoyed time spent with Vala since despite visiting his father in Lorsette years prior to the move he still lacked friends. Being shy as a child made it difficult for him to make friends during his short visits and since moving to Lorsette he got distracted with work and oftentimes kept himself in solitude. He was an anxious bundle of nerves in most social situations after all, which brought the concept of avoiding them entirely to be a preference. It resulted in Vala being the person he clung to for social support, which was something that Malakai always seemed to rely on friends for. Having somebody who could at least assist him during his socially awkward sprees was a blessing.
"Like I said, it's fine." With the slightest shrug of her shoulders Vala patted Malakai on the shoulder with as much compassion that she could muster; which wasn't much. Vala did feel sorry that Malakai was in his current state but since her life took a downward spiral it became near impossible to show much, if any affection towards another. The fact that she would even make physical contact with another person showed she'd come a long way in her recovery. At the moment this simple action and a few words was all she could offer.
"Dumb moment... I doubt that Mal." Vala scoffed softly as she removed her pale hand from her friends shoulder.
"You have an innate ability towards intellect. What comes difficult to others you could learn in your sleep." Vala noted with a thoughtful expression. While it was true that Malakai had some major short comings his skills in academics was only matched by a few.
Turning away to glance at the grey clouds once more Vala sighed quietly to herself. "Promise huh?" The words echoed within her head with a distaste filling her mind. "Right... well enough about that. It's been awhile. Let's catch up." Without checking to see if Malakai would follow Vala's black boots tapped against the stony pathway that led through the park. Having always been the leader of sorts in their little duo Vala knew that Mal would follow; it's always how it was back in high school. "Hate to say it but life hasn't changed much for me. Schools changeling. Works a bore. And the rest of my time is spent between sleeping and training." Sighing once more Vala nodded her head from side to side. "Death and taxes, right?" The note wasn't so much as a joke but a observation of life towards how she felt.
"Just hope that once I'm done with my education I can do something that makes it all feel worth while. Kinda like what you do with all those... potions, and other stuff you make. All I've done so far is make sure that people get a quick pick-me-up in the middle of the day before they end up crashing." Her monotone words seeming devoid of life.
"Hm.... How about you? You've been tinkering with those concoctions longer than I've known you for. Find a super cure yet?" Vala jested as she glanced over her shoulder at where Malakai would have been. Hating to talk about her personal, (and in her opinion) boring life Vala would much rather hear what was going on in Malakai's world. While it was true only a few weeks had passed since they last saw each other much could happen in such a small window. Not only that but Vala enjoyed listening to the little guy talk. Most of time he was a recluse; trying to stay away from the stage lights. However, when it was something Mal's was passionate about he could go on for hours. While it wasn't enough to bring her to smile the feeling was as close to it as she could remember.
Of course what Vala was truly looking forward to hearing was more about his personal life rather than his researching habits as of late. Given his outward demeanor that... well didn't portray confidence it had always been difficult for Mal to make friends. Most saw him as the scrawny guy that always got picked last for sports and while that was true there was more to him that eyes could tell. It was her hope that maybe he'd met someone that could see past what lay at Mal's surface. After all he was a decent guy... when he wasn't late that is.
It was difficult for Malakai to believe that it was acceptable for him to arrive late. Certainly he was being a nuisance with the amount of tardiness he displayed only a few moments prior. Fortunately, the consistent insistence that his belated arrival was alright did assist in calming him further. It was something he required almost given how his mother would have reacted in this scenario when the nightmare started. She would have criticized him and would be probable to hurt him emotionally until tears were falling down his face as thick as rivers; that was if the young man was alone with his mother. Doing it publicly would allow people to possibly discover the terrifying truth. Thus, the constant reassurance made Malakai relax. Vala was bolder than him and would mention if his tardiness was becoming a problem and he was fairly certain in that.
There was also the fact that Vala's voice held some compassion and after knowing her for years, the field medic was capable of picking up on it. That was hopefully a good sign and the pat to his shoulder assisted in easing him. When female ravenette mentioned her doubt about him having a moment of idiocy, Malakai's brown eyes looked over to her. There was a gleam of curiosity almost as though he was unaware of his own intellect. His own lack of self-confidence had a tendency to cause the tall man to overlook his own skills. It resulted in Malakai bashfully looking away when Vala complimented his intelligence.The slightest hints of red touched his cheeks; he always seemed to blush whenever somebody made positive comments towards him.
"Oh please, I-i'm not that s-smart, he responded sheepishly. "P-plenty of people know m-more... than me."
A long time was spent staring at the ground and noticing the shimmering snow while he waited for his moment of shyness to fleet away. When Vala spoke and began walking, Malakai's attention snapped back towards her as he hastily caught up. A tighter grip was given to his cup of coffee, which caused the young man to finally notice the heat as it tickled his bare hands; after realizing his unexpected tardiness he had little time to grab gloves. A small sip was taken of the bitter liquid, the warm sensation rolling over his tongue before being swallowed. All the while, Malakai attentively listened to what was occurring in Vala's life. It seemed the typical drab of most everyday life, but there was a genuine hint of interest in the young man's expression. He always held a curiosity towards what his friends were doing. When the observation was mentioned, the field medic merely offered a grim nod; working on the field made him well-acquainted with the concept of death and being an adult naturally made taxes a well known nuisance.
Although, due to living with his father he was only required to pay half and then anything personally belonging to Malakai was paid fully by himself. The monotone mentioning of doing something meaningful caused the tall man to look over to the female ravenette thoughtfully for a moment. A polite smile soon trailed its way onto his face.
"I'm certain you will, Vala," he said in a supportive manner. "That's what school is for, and once you come out on the other side I bet you will do a lot of amazing things."
There was always joy taken when trying to encourage his friends; perhaps it was to make up for his own lacking in self-confidence. All the dreams and aspirations they were making were always ideas that Malakai desired to see them achieve, especially if it would bring them happiness. When Vala asked him about his current affairs alongside the mention of a super cure, he took a moment to shrug.
"Haven't done much time to make some sort of super cure. I have been called in a lot over the past week and have barely had time to put together my usual potions. The only research I have been conducting is to make a potion that will work as a disinfectant as well as an antidote for various poisons. If I can manage to make both work to almost their full capacity then any wounds that are believed to be both poisoned and infected can just be given that opposed to two separate entities. It could save so much time, not to mention cure the area where the poison was administered. All I need to do is exchange one of the ingredients in my current disinfectant for something that does not counteract the powerful antidote I have already created and theoretically it should work." He looked away bashfully after realizing he began rambling. "S-sorry, I was rambling... wasn't I?"
Not much thought was given towards other life events, things that did not involve researching, concoctions and general medical based work. Sadly, Malakai oftentimes remained inside for hours when there were nothing outside that required his attending which resulted in long periods of time working within the basement. Barely being able to hold a conversation with a stranger made it especially difficult to enjoy a more social life and as of romance, that held a more personal reason. The concept of being with another person scared him after his mother's abuse and the words she eerily stated before being hauled off to jail. The incident has simply left too many mental scars to prepare him for the concept and his fears of his mother escaping prison and coming to kill him and whoever he loved still lingered in his head. Letting somebody else get roped into was a horrible thing to Malakai and he thoroughly believed nobody deserved to be burdened with the possibly life-threatening issue.
"So sure are you?" Vala questioned to herself at Malakai's praise of her talents. With a almost non-existent circle of friends, family or social obligations much of Vala's time was spent towards educating herself. In some ways Vala was much like Malakai. Though it might not appear it given her grim outward demeanor she was well educated. Without having distractions from external forces to hold her back Vala put her all into learning and the effects were evident in her grades. Like all things in life this wasn't without sacrifice. No dances, social events, nor anything which brought any enjoyment. In Vala's mind education was an means to a end. While there were many benefits to higher education Vala felt little satisfaction at the days end. The sad truth was that she lacked any real direction in life only going where others suggested she should.
"Yeah. I hope so too." Vala replied as dully as melted butter. At least Malakai held high hopes for Vala even if she didn't for herself. Malakai might not have been the most confidante person out there but he had an innate ability to see the best in her even when she couldn't.
Slowly the two of them walked as Malakai when on about his recent workings. Most of the material he spoke of went right over Vala's held but it didn't stop her listening. There fields of study had varied greatly after high school when the curriculum fell into their own hands. With his interest already in concoctions and other types of medicine it was easy enough for him to get started; Vala... not so much. Regardless Vala was more than happy enough to listen to what it was that Mal had to say. After knowing him for a few years she found that this was the best way for him to come out of his overly protective shell.
"No. Not at all." Vala noted at his comment as she turned about to look at her friend.
"Trust me Mal. You'd know if I was bothered." Attempting the closest expression to a smile that she could manage.
Drinking deeply from what remained of her coffee Vala crumpled the plastic in her hand. The rumpled container seemed to disappear into the maw of her hand until she released her grip. Where once the cup had been a solid the shear force of her hand crushed it into a fine powder as it blew away in the wind. "Well... at least I have that going for me." Sighing Vala took a few steps backward as she rested upon the fountains edge.
"I'm glad to hear that things have been going well for you. Wish I could say the same for myself." Neck craning upwards Vala glanced at the looming clouds above. "I... feel like I'm in a rut." Her words barely above a whisper but still heard against the silence of their surroundings. "I dunno...." Running a hand through her glossy black hair Vala sighed deeply. "Some people have these great abilities and do great things. And then there is me. Drinking coffee and reading books. I mean... I feel like I could be- should be doing more with what I have." Her words holding a tone of sadness to them. "I just don't know what." Coming to sit up right and looking at Malakai in the eye Vala sighed. "Er... sorry. Didn't mean to unload on you like that Mal. Aside from going to see a therapist your the only person I can talk to like this." With both of her parents out of the picture and no close family Mal was the closest thing to family she had at the moment.
"Just... forget I said anything." Vala muttered softly with her gaze coming to look at the ground.
As they walked, Malakai's eyes drifted across the world that laid out before him. The snow bearing clouds above were noticed and for a few moments the field medic's eyes lingered there. Out of instinct, the young man adjusted the collar of his coat higher to avoid any chances of being cold. It was unlikely to grow excessively cold, but not being outside much without a temperature regulation charm which sometimes resulted in over estimation or lack of awareness without a proper temperature indicator sometimes. When the dull response slipped from Vala's lips, the tall man's gaze returned to her. There was an unrivaled certainty Malakai possessed in his friend and he believed that she could be successful in her endeavors. A hesitation was taken while the field medic debated what to tell his friend in order to motivate her.
"I know you can, Vala! You got to start somewhere, and you are starting with giving people that pickup you were talking about! You just have to put your mind to it!" Malakai stated cheerfully.
Encouraging friends was something that the young man enjoyed doing. It could bring smiles upon their faces which was always a pleasantry to witness. Lifting his friends higher was a requirement to Malakai and the fact that they returned the favor sometimes helped too. A small, reassuring smile touched the tall man's lips while he walked with one of his closest friends around the park. Despite her moody and emotion-lacking exterior, the young medic always enjoyed being in her company. It was a moment to escape from those incredibly anxious emotions that appeared when he conversed with other people. Almost like a chance to gain some minute confidence in his social skills. Although, the bashful man always felt nervous whenever he rambled about some nonsense; or at least he believed other people saw it as nonsense. Alas, Vala never seemed bothered whenever he went on about something, even when it could not be understood.
The reassurance that Vala gave Malakai soothed him, allowing him to know that his rambling was acceptable. It was true that Vala would inform him should his rambling become an issue. A tiny smile became evident on the young man's face; the female ravenette was always pleasant company. They had grown close through high school and the fact that Malakai still held a tight bond to her made these visits wonderful. It was one of the very few occasions where the bashful male escaped the depths of the basement of his home. Another small sip of his coffee was taken before Vala when she began speaking again, resting herself on the fountain. The bashful man's brown eyes remained locked on her while she spoke and opted to remain standing instead. A silence drifted over Malakai as Vala talked about everything that was happening. The smile that once remained on his faded when Vala told him about how she was feeling.
A gentle look entered Malakai's eyes as he regarded Vala; what she was referring to sounded horrible. When his friend apologized to him and explained why she informed him of her feelings, the bashful man took a few steps forward.
"Vala... You don't have to apologize. I will probably do the same thing to you since I can only really talk to my dad and you about my problems," he started. "And in order to do more, you need to finish school. When I was going through my medical training I didn't even work elsewhere... because of... umm... the in-incident. You just need to be patient."
There was the slightest hint of timidness to the final few sentence which was a common result of mentioning the incident. Those memories caused his breath to turn shaky for a moment and a slight tremble to flow over him for a few seconds due to the sheer mentioning of the emotional event. Once Malakai restored his composure, he found the courage to continue.
"Don't ever think that you can't talk to me about this kind of stuff. I am always willing to lend an ear, Vala. You are my friend, and you should know I will be there for you," Malakai stated.
Despite his emotional moments, the young man was certain that he would continue supporting his friend. It seemed like the least he could do considering how much Vala assisted him socially with her more assertive attitude.
"Yeah.... I suppose you're right Mal." Mumbling under her breath Vala sighed towards her friend. There weren't many things that could elevate her spirits but talking on a personal level with Malakai certainty helped. As always Mal was the thoughtful person that she had come to known over the years. Even with his own plaguing issues he was always willing to listen to her bitching. "While I really don't think giving people a liquid boost makes the world a better place I guess it has some 'minor' effect." The neutral tone held in Vala's voice gave off the aura that she didn't believe in what she had said. With her choice of words it was a attempt to display that Malakai's words had some influence on her thoughts though not enough to change her opinion. Having such a thoughtful personality it wasn't her wish to shoo off his words but it would take more than a few praising ideas to make her feel any different. In this way it was her hope that he'd at least feel as though he'd help. "Regardless... we all have to start some place. It'd be nice if it didn't take so long... but if it was easy then it wouldn't be worth trying." The words hung in the air as Vala's voice trailed off just as the clouds released their hold upon the snow.
Each flake was beautiful in its own design as they fluttered through the chilling air showing their graceful dance to all who'd watch. Hardly visible against the dead white of the surrounding world Vala was forced to recoil as one brushed against her pale cheek. Melting upon contact a shiver trailed through her body at the sudden wet coolness that ran down her face.
"Hmm... this was expected I suppose." Vala noted as she wiped the water from her face.
Pressing off the fountains edge Vala came to stand next to Malakai. Removing flakes of ice and dirt from her pants with the back of her hands she turned towards Mal with a light sigh.
"Come on. Forecast said to expect heavy snow fall in the next few hours. Would have liked to take a walk through the park but-" Before Vala could finish her sentence a low rumble erupted from her gut.
"...yeah... that." Casting her eyes towards the side Vala did her best to mask the embarrassment upon her face which was a rather rare sight.
"Come on." Rather abruptly the words came out as Vala took the lead once more towards one of the parks entrances. It was clear that she was trying to mask her stomachs sudden out burst though she would never admit it. "You mentioned your father... how is he doing." Obviously Vala was trying her best to changed the flow of the conversation away from herself and onto Malakai. Aside from Mal she really didn't like talking about herself to others. Being that they had been friends for so many years it was easier for Vala to open up a bit around Malakai. That wasn't to say that he had full access to every aspect of her life but much more than anyone else who knew her. This territory came with the knowledge that Malakai was trustworthy. Keeping mostly to himself and not one to gossip she knew that anything told to him would stay between the two of them. "It's kinda funny... all these years that I've known you I've never met him." Vala pondered as she approached the worn iron gates of the park. "Not embarrassed of me are you?" The words were an attempt to prod some fun at her friend.
Of course it could have been that introducing such a stunning young girl to his father might give mixed signals. While Mal had never come right out and told Vala of his sexual preference it hadn't been to hard to piece it together.
There was a determination in trying to elevate Vala's spirits, almost as though Malakai could make up for his own lacking in self-confidence by accomplishing the task. Somebody in the friendship needed to possess confidence and social adeptness due to his failure in both sections. He longed for being able to speak smoothly, but alas that was beyond his reach; if only somebody could give him some excellent pointers. As the cold winter air chilled the bashful man's face, he realized he has been neglecting the styrofoam cup filled of warm, dark liquid. It still embraced Malakai's bare fingers, although, weaker in comparison to when he first received the cup. A small sip was taken, the coffee making his mouth and throat warm. It was proceeded by a small smile when Vala stated that he was right and when the ravenette stated its minor effects, the field medic shrugged.
"Some people depend on coffee to work, so I think you can call it a little more than minor," he supported.
A pause was taken when the as the male thought of a way to respond to the schooling comment. The field medic's own training had been done swiftly considering the constant demand for TRS agents. A good portion of it consisted of one on one training between him and his mentor at the time. One section was given to the ward for hands on work, which was also accomplished under the watchful eyes of his mentor. There were no years upon years of training to perfectly fine tune those skills due to demand, but nonetheless the skills acquired still possessed quality and were enhanced from occupational time.
"As for school... well, you have to learn everything you need to. At least it isn't like TRS training where they try and cram everything into your mind as quick as possible." Malakai sighed gently at the thought, his self conscious thoughts entering his mind. "I'm amazed I did so well. I honestly think it was luck."
Naturally, luck has not resulted in the field medic's success, but rather his intellect and determination to do something meaningful. It had broken through his father's protests against the concept, his worry understood, but calmed. His father had been the one to insist that there was more to merely sitting around being upset after the events that occurred in New Brunswick. Malakai's brown eyes noticed the beginnings of the falling flakes as they gently swayed down to the cold earth. Shortly after noticing, the field medic's gaze drifted upwards while he pushed back the black rimmed glasses onto his face. Currently, the snowfall seemed light, but suggested a high probability of turning heavy. A small nod was given in response to Vala's words as she stated it to be expected and mentioned the weather forecast. Admittedly, the bashful man had forgotten to check the weather forecast in his sudden haste caused by the abrupt tardiness.
His attention was regained by Vala when he heard his friend's stomach rumble; she was likely hungry. A small grin drew up onto the the tall man's face since this possessed the perfect opportunity to repay for his earlier tardiness. Perhaps they could head over to his home, eat and then Malakai could offer her a ride home instead of forcing her to walk in the cold snow. When his friend began moving again the bashful man naturally followed behind her; he had grown accustomed to doing so.
"Vala, my house isn't too far from here. We could head there and have something to eat, then I can drive you home," Malakai suggested.
When his father was brought up, Malakai's attention seemed to perk up a bit. As of afterlife, his father was doing excellent despite the man's hatred of being a spirit. Although, he always justifiably worried about his son and would constantly insist that the bashful man could speak to him anytime. His father worked plenty since spirits did not require sleep, food or any other human basics which had caused his father to require something to occupy his time. It made his father content and naturally seeing his son slowly progress in recovering from the abuse always placed a grin on his face.
"He is doing well. Last time I checked he just got some from his day job and will probably be heading to the night one in an hour or so," Malakai answered simply.
Once it was mentioned that Vala never met his father, the bashful man pondered for a moment before realizing it was indeed true. Most of their friendship had been in high school and prior to even being born Malakai's parents had divorced and his father moved far away to Lorsette, Newfoundland. Before the bashful man could answer the statement, Vala poked her fun which caused the tall man's face to get panic stricken.
"Of course not! I would never be embarrassed of you, Vala, you're my friend!" Malakai exclaimed in protest to the teasing. "You never met him because he moved here shortly after divorcing my... m-mom..." For a moment, the bashful man hesitated, almost letting the word linger in the air a few moments before continuing. "He lived in Newfoundland since then because most of his family and friends were here. He wasn't able to come to town much because my m-mother disapproved of the fact he was a spirit... I would not doubt that if she could... she would have given him no visitation rights..."
Silence followed the shy man's words as he merely stared at the cup in sorrowful thought. It was difficult to avoid when his mother was forced to be brought up. The homophobic woman had long transformed into the monster that haunted his nightmares and caused him to fear the concept of being in a relationship despite how much he craved it.
"Luck? No.... Believe it or not but you've always been quick on your feet... mentally that is." Vala added in the last part as an observation on Malakai's physic. Having his nose stuck in the bindings of books for most of his life Mal's body was what would expect from a scholarly type. Lanky, tall and without much muscle mass to speak of he wasn't the first image that came to mind when thinking of body builders. Where he lacked in the physical department he more than made up for it with his mind. Vala considered herself an avid learner but no where near the capacity that Mal held. Over their years of friendship he had impressed her many times with his quick wit and an innate ability to pick up new material. Though jealously was rare for Vala she always found herself longing for Mal's intelligence.
At Malakai's sudden abruption at Vala's teasing she could feel the smallest traces of a smile forming at her lips. Always one keep as composed as possible she quickly snuffed the expression out. Still, it lingered within her mind as she thought how easily it was to get under her friends skin. Given what Mal had told Vala of his past she tried to keep her toying words few in number, but she just couldn't help herself sometimes. After all messing with your friends was a part of friendship, right? Of course the fun was quickly swept from her soul with the chilling gloom that fell over Mal.
"Ah...." Was all Vala could muster with the mention of Mal's mother.
The matter of his mother wasn't something they talked much about for good reasons. Long ago when their friendship was still budding Vala had asked Mal about his mother. Color drained from his face with hands shaking as if caught in a blizzard. Needless to stay it wasn't a subject they ventured into much. From what little Vala had gathered from her private snooping his mother was quiet a monster. Being younger when most of this had been going on Vala had been clueless to help her friend. Looking back now she always kicked herself for not seeing the abuse when it had been happening. Had she'd known back then things would have certainly turned out different for Malakai... though Vala might be in jail. "That... would be nice Mal." Vala responded in hopes of changing the flow of their current conversation. "Always been curious about him. He's always been cast in shadows to me. It'd be neat to see what he really looks like." Vala noted as she planted her index finger upon her lips.
"A tall man... in a trench coat... with one of those detective hats, and a short scraggly beard." Vala mused out loud as she glanced over her shoulder at Mal. "Well... I hope you know how to cook because I can't. Last time I tried I set my apartment on fire." With glazed eyes Vala recalled the memory of how she nearly burned down her whole complex.
Taking a few steps towards the worn iron gates that led into the park Vala turned back to gaze at Malakai. With a gesturing motion she beckoned him to hurry up. Having walked to and from school with Mal on more occasions than she could recall Vala knew exactly where he lived though she wasn't going to walk there alone.
Although his intellect was praised by those around him consistently, Malakai still found himself lacking the confidence to believe the words they state. Accepting the compliments seemed like an impossibility since in the young man's mind there was always somebody smarter; somebody who reached closer to perfection than him. If he could not achieve that perfect standpoint, he felt as though he could not accept the gracious comments. Another effect of his cruel mother who constantly insisted that perfection was the most significant concept in daily life; it was the reason the field medic held difficulty tolerating errors and felt the making up for them was a requirement. When Vala gave him another compliment, Malakai's cheeks burned a hint of red touched them in slight fluster over the positive comment about his intellect.
"O-o-oh, please. I... uh... I'm not that g-g-good," he began in a flustered manner. "I-i-i just work... h-hard. That's all... There are tons of people smarter than me, so I... um... don't deserve a compliment like that."
Despite the embarrassment, a tiny smile was present on Malakai's face as his self-confidence was boosted by the compliment from his friend. Compliments always possessed a positive effect on the bashful man considering his lacking in confidence constantly burdened him with self-esteem issues. It made people like Vala who insisted on his positive traits an excellent friend and a great assistance to make him better. Although, his confidence never seemed to truly restore in its entirely and would be unlikely to for years; another sign of the scars his mother left. When anything related to his mother was brought up, it almost seemed to be a shift in attitude. All positive emotions were shut away as terror would overtake him, those sorrowful thoughts consuming the happiness.
There was little to be spoken when it came to the topic of the shy man's mother for the sole reason of his dislike in speaking about it. Mother related conversation only awakened the terrible memories that would conquer his composure at times and in the worse occasions would cause him become an emotional wreck. Although, Malakai felt more relaxed when mentioning his mother around Vala since he was certain his friend would not attempt to pry. As he stared at the coffee cup still clutched in his hands, the field medic forced his breathing to calm, which gradually allowed him to fully sooth his emotions over the mentioning. He continued quietly following his close friend, attention returning to her once she attempted to turn the conversation towards a lighter concept. A gently smile came upon Malakai's lips when the ravenette stated that the plan he came up with was a nice idea; which also meant he could give a more formal apology to the several late incidents. A small laugh escaped his mouth at the mentioning of how Vala believed his father looked.
"That would be interesting. I hate to break to you, but he is incredibly average," Malakai responded.
When it came to the bashful man's father, he always maintained a business-like look as a result of his numerous jobs that kept the man busy. As a spirit who no longer aged or required natural human functions, it was sensible that his father attempted to keep a packed schedule. Naturally, his father left time for his son and even went lengths to plan around the bashful man's field medic work to insure that there was a supper plan. Although, that often consisted of takeout on days Malakai would be arriving home late due to his father's lacking in cooking skill. Upon the mentioning of Vala's cooking abilities, the man's brown eyes widened in surprise at the concept. Instantly there was a bout of concern over his friend, but the field medic fought off the urge to suddenly start firing off numerous inquiries about her health.
"Seriously? Maybe I should try and teach you sometime. My dad is a spirit so I have to cook for myself since anything he makes nowadays is bound to taste awful," the bashful responded. "Also, you weren't hurt from the incident, were you?"
A few memories of those days spent with his father and the food he would create when he was younger flashed through his mind. No matter how hard his father tried, he seemed incapable to cooking a dish that would taste good. Thus, it had shortly transformed into learning to cook becoming an asset of survival in his father's house. When they began to approach the iron gates of the park, Malakai's eyes lingered towards the exit while he followed Vala. There was still a grin plastered to the bashful man's face as he followed in excitement to have his friend over and have the chance to redeem those late moments. As he followed, Malakai's thoughts lingered on concepts for what he could cook for the female ravenette.
Without the need to glance back at her friend Vala could sense that his face had turned a few shades darker from the blood that flushed to his cheeks. Having been berated on a fairly constant bases by his mother Malakai wasn't used to such praises. As mild as her words might have been they clearly held a great impact on Mal as he stuttered through his words trying to brush off what she'd said.
"Of course you do Mal." Vala stated her opinion bluntly yet softly. Had Vala been a compassionate; in touch with her emotional side kind person, she would have pushed the matter further. Rather she saw little point in the endeavor as Mal would continue to deny her up lifting words as quick as she could get them out. Using such a blunt manner would state her words as truth and leave no room for an argument on such grounds. "Something else we have to work on." Checking off a mental list with a sigh it appeared that there was much she needed to help her friend with. It couldn't be said that Vala didn't like her friend, nor did she want to change who his core person was. All she wished was to give Mal confidence in who he was as a person. Take praise when it was deserved. Say no every once in a while. Stand up for himself and his beliefs. Vala was more than happy to intervene on her friends behalf whenever it was ask for and when it wasn't. She'd done it many times and was more than glad to do so but a day would come when she wouldn't be able to for one reason or another.
With the arrival of a humorous laugh from her friend Vala felt the air lighten around them. As Mal spoke Vala shrugged her shoulder with discontent at his father true appearance. The idea of his father having the appearance of a private investigator was to good to be true. It was most likely all the mystery novels she'd read over the years that planted such an idea in her head about Mal's father. After all, having known Malakai for a few years his father had always been cast in shadows. Now at least it seemed that she would finally get to meet the man. "Ah... well that is rather disappointing. But I suppose such a fantasy was ridiculous to being with." Though her voice was its usual flat tone it carried a hint of humor in it as she poked fun at herself.
"Hmm... While I like the idea of that... I don't think the police would be happy if I burned down another building." Pondering out loud at Mal's suggestion she seemed rather against learning how to cook. "And no... I didn't get hurt. Built like a tank remember?" Vala noted before coming to stop before a large oak tree that rested next to the parks entrance.
Craning her head to glance into its branches then back at its base she studied for any signs of life. After conferring nothing larger than an ant was living on the tree she reared her arm back and gave the tree a swift slap with the back of her hand. The wood cracked under the force of her strike as it traveled through out the tree causing it to moan a death filled wail. Once the tree's quivering movements had stopped Vala pulled her hand out from the small crater it had created and showed it to Mal. Aside from a few flakes of bark that lay still upon her pale flesh it was clear she'd not gotten a single scratch from the sudden blow.
"See? Both a blessing and a curse." Noting with a gentle sigh Vala brushed off the few scraps of bark on her hand before pocketing it within her pants.
"Anyway... come on. Before my stomach literally eats itself." And with that Vala exited the gate and turned in the direction of Mal's house.
While it was only a few minutes walk from the park to Mal's house and even less while running Vala wasn't thrilled of the idea of being caught out in the snow. The cold wasn't anything that had ever bothered her even before her powers manifested. Rather her thoughts lingered towards Mal. Not exactly a hardened survivalist she wasn't exactly sure just how long he could stand being in the elements before getting a cold.
History weighed heavily on people considering that the occurrences forged an individual's personality. It possessed a power above any form of simultaneously creating memories and manipulated the individual into their specific behaviors that evolved later in life. Currently, history's hefty weight upon Malakai's shoulders were obvious in the deep shade of red that painted across his cheeks, connecting to one another across the bridge of his nose. Bright and pronounced against the tall man's pale complexion even as his dark haired friend ceased the complimenting insistence towards his elevated intelligence. There was only mild relief in the halting of praise he felt undeserving of due to the constant berating from his mother during his teenage years, although, the compliments had boosted his self-confidence a degree. The blunt manner Vala stated the words did not effected the field medic since years had been spent noting his friend's lack of compassion.
Instances that involved praise being given to Malakai constantly ended with the bashful man shoving the compliments away with persistence. A stigma left from a perfection craving mother and months imprisoned in an abusive household. Subjecting to the torture of physical pain and mental state deteriorated with brutal criticism and absence of acceptance over his sexuality. It resulted in the creation of the mousy man's overall personality and mental state. The red tint spread across Malakai's face gradually faded, ultimately disappearing when Vala responded with the slightest hint of humor which was barely detected by the field medic. The corners of his lips were pulled up into a sheepish lip-tight smile and his brown eyes softening. Shortly, the tall man physical relaxed as his flustered ceased and thoughts of his mother faded for the time being.
His hands lifted the warm styrofoam cup towards his lips to take a tiny sip of the darkly coloured liquid and discovered it to be colder. Despite the slight coldness in Malakai's drink, the grin remained in his countenance and he remained hushed about any complaints related to the cooled liquid.
A soft chuckle escaped the tall man's lips prior to his response. "We get trick-or-treaters, maybe I will convince him to dress up as a detective. Then you can have your wildest fantasy."
The bashful man's voice was gently and void of awkwardness as he spoke; a rarity often only witnessed around small groups of friends or on the field. A cheerful expression remained on Malakai's face, leaving hastily when his friend mentioned burning down a building. Instantly, his brown eyes widened in both concern and surprise over the concept of Vala setting an attire building alight with her atrocious cooking skills. Perhaps avoiding the remedying of the dilemma was the better path since it would probably only be repairable by the assistance of experts, which was a level Malakai had not obtained. He remained silent, emotions of concern easing at the reminder of Vala's tank-like build. When she halted at the large oak tree, the tall man followed suit and stopped in his tracks. His eyed glanced over the tree, from the darkly coloured bark to the branched left bare from winter's cold bite. Lifeless and quiet, only the mild wind providing the sturdy tree some soft motion.
After Malakai completed analyzing the tree, his gaze returned to Vala as he witnessed the spectacle that was the gifted female's abilities. Her hand was drawn back, swinging towards the tree with incredible force that caused the air to echo with thunderous crack proceeded by a wail. The once mighty tree shuddered under the sudden injury that would transform into the its downfall. The noise accompanied by the tree's reaction caused Malakai to tremble slightly as a product of his dislike for piercing sounds. Naturally, the bashful man was aware that Vala would never mistreat him, but nonetheless he remained shaky a few moments longer and only gave slight attentiveness towards the female's undamaged skin. A few deep breaths were taken, a reminder that he was safe. Loud noises always sparked the smallest degree of anxiety in the bashful man since at times it brought forth of days spent under his mother's roof. The constant criticism screamed at him, his own screams and begging for mercy at the hands of his ruthless mother. A shudder came over the bashful man as he gave a nod to Vala's comment over her powers and shoved away any negative memories.
"Let's go then," he responded quietly.
With that, Malakai walking towards home and navigated the streets with ease due to familiarity. The cold was hardly noticed during the stroll considering the numerous days spent healing patients on open fields with a faulty temperature regulating charm. The gradual ending of the charms effects was easily noticed while he worked in the sometimes harsh winter conditions, but there was never a complaint uttered. Thus, the current weather did not perturb the tall man as he leisurely walked alongside his friend and debated the next topic of discussion.
Having been friends for a few years there were some aspects of Malakai that Vala would sometimes over look when in a casual manner. These weren't things that were clearly apparent at first glance. Rather they were deep within his soul that only personal conversations could render. Having dealt with her own powers for over half her life their side effects had become familiar, if not normal to her. Having given the tree a swift strike across it's surface the idea of the cracking boom that followed hadn't occurred till afterwards. It was when she displayed her hand for Mal to see the evidence of her powers did she take notice of the discomfort that he was in. Though usually quick on her feet it took the gears in her head a few second to compute what had caused such an effect in her friend. "Oh... sorry Mal." Vala managed to mutter out as her eyes cast downwards in shame. "Damn it. I really need to stop and think before I do something." Silently Vala berated herself over her thoughtless behavior.
With his deep breaths and shaking hands it was clear that violent act she'd performed had caused Mal a great deal of distress. Not one to venture into territory that she wasn't welcomed Vala wasn't sure of the reason behind Mal's various ticks. Degrading words, physical contact, loud sounds; these were just a few of his triggers among many others. Though not conformed Vala went out on a limb to guess that it was Mal's mother; a person who was no longer in his life, that still caused him such grief. "What had that woman done to him?" The question lingered in her mind as her gaze slowly turned to her friend once more. "For her sake... we better never meet." The flash of anger flooded her chest before she allowed herself to calm down to her natural state. Given her raw strength Vala had learned long ago to keep control of her emotions less she hurt those that were innocent.
Without anything needed to be said Vala stepped out of the way as Mal led the way towards his home. Pausing for a moment to watch her friend Vala silently followed behind; an unusual sight in their friendship. At this point Vala wasn't quite sure what to say or even if there was anything of worth to mention. It seemed that every other time something came out of her mouth she just upset her friend even further. After a few moments of silent walking Vala decided it was best to keep her mouth shut till something of actual worth came to her mind. Of course whatever that subject might have been she would carefully considered every aspect of it before thoughtlessly speaking again.
-----
Time passed slowly between the two as they made the trip to Malakai's house. Having come up with nothing of note to speak of Vala had kept true to her word and spoke nothing. At this point it seemed that damage control was the best thing she could do. At least this way she couldn't add any more fuel to the fire. The last thing she wanted to do was to harm her friend in any possible manner. Often people only observed physical pain as the most dangerous; cuts, bruises, or any other type of harm which left a mark. In reality mental harm could be just as painful if not worse. Cutting a person will cause physical pain but those heal over time and a person can move on. Scarring someone's soul leaves wounds so deep as to change who they are as a person. This was something she knew all to well.
Do not use drama to get attention in the chat. Nobody appreciates it.
2
No advertising, we have a perfectly fine board for that.
3
Please try and keep swearing to a minimum in the chat.
4
All chat usernames should be PG-13 and not break the ProBoards ToS or site rules.
5
A Chatango account is not required, but it is encouraged.
6
Please avoid spamming the chat; accidents are understandable.
7
You may use the in-character chat prior to acceptance.
8
Be respectful to anybody who enters the chat, including guest, fellow members and staff.
9
Guests may speak in chat at anytime to ask questions or get a taste of our community~!
resource sites
affiliates
credits
The skin is created by Wolf of Adoxography and Gangnam Style. The thread and conversation remodels are by Kagney. The Strange Reality board list, Heal My Soul info center, I Remember Now mini profile and Electric Requiem profile remodel is made by Pharoah Leap. The Who's That Member member list remodel was made by Tictactoe. The Cbox.ws Shoutbox remodel was made by Trinity Blair. All templates used for claims, information sheets, applications, etc are credited to their owners; credits for these can be found in the threads the templates are use on. Images that are used on The Duality of Man are credited to their owners, however, they have been edited by Zac with a few being edited by Chibi Magician. The plot, rules and various other information pieces for The Duality of Man are written by Chibi Magician with the assistence of her co-admins, Finnegan and Dremulf, alongside other unlisted people who were kind enough to give their input. The TRS, AP and face claim were all created by Fleur for specifically the use of TDOM. All plugins used on The Duality of Man are credited to their owners. The templates my members use are credited to their maker, if you find a template that belongs to you, but is uncredited, please speak to Chibi Magician or the member themself. Characters created on The Duality of Man are credited to their owners and should not be used elsewhere without the creator's permission.
Special thanks for the members of TDOM who make suggestions to help make this site better. Even though we can not accept all suggestions, we immensely appreciate it. Thus, we give credit to any additions that you thought of and were later implimented by the staff, because we are glad you give us these excellent ideas.
