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!
[attr=class,Mikredheadertext1]I'm not ready for the truth to see the light
[attr=class,Mikredheadertext2]Make it up, Make it pretty, I don't mind
[newclass=.Mikredimage]width:500px;height:200px;background-image:url('https://i.ibb.co/hxzNqkk/download.png');border-left: solid 10px #8f0505;border-right: solid 10px #8f0505;[/newclass] [newclass=.Mikredhover]opacity:0;transition:all linear 1s;-webkit-transition:all linear 1s;height:200px;width:500px;margin-top:-200px;[/newclass][newclass=.Mikredhover:hover]opacity:0.4;transition:all linear 1s;-webkit-transition:all linear 1s;background-color:#fff;[/newclass] [newclass=.Mikredhovertext]font-family:Arial;color:#4c306a;font-size:18px;text-align:justify;[/newclass]
Mikaela scrunched up her nose and stuck out her tongue at Touri's retort. It didn't really matter what he thought, but he could at least give her some credit. If she was going to die it would be in a blaze of glory, not in a blazing fire. And not while the people she cared about might be in danger. She may be reckless and suicidal, but all that was put on hold when her family wasn't stable. [break][break]
She knelt down and grabbed the ledge she was standing on, allowing her feet to fall beneath her towards the next landing. She winced at the pain in her arm, but it was nothing she had any right to complain about it. Nor was it nearly the worst burn wound she'd gotten. [break][break]
Mikaela didn't pause her careful climbing as Touri spoke. She wanted to glance back at him, but that would reveal a bit too much of her curiosity. What had he been thinking that he felt the need to strike up a conversation about his latest murder victim on the side of a wall. "Don't you dare apologize." she huffed. "I mean yeah, you should feel terrible, but your words are worth nothing. I hate apologies, especially in English. The language is practically made to half ass them. No need to worry though, apology or no you'll end up burning in hell when all is said and done." [break][break]
She glanced down as Touri asked which bush to jump down into. "Entirely up to you, doll." she drawled, wrinkling her nose. It would be a lot easier to jump from here, but she wasn't a fan of what that might do to her already roughed up dress. Nor was she sure she'd be able to get up if she got caught in the bush at the wrong angle. Instead, she lowered herself further onto a very thin ledge then shimmied over to a drain pipe, using that to make it the rest of the way down.
[attr=class,Mikredheadertext1]I'm not ready for the truth to see the light
[attr=class,Mikredheadertext2]Make it up, Make it pretty, I don't mind
[newclass=.Mikredimage]width:500px;height:200px;background-image:url('https://i.ibb.co/hxzNqkk/download.png');border-left: solid 10px #8f0505;border-right: solid 10px #8f0505;[/newclass] [newclass=.Mikredhover]opacity:0;transition:all linear 1s;-webkit-transition:all linear 1s;height:200px;width:500px;margin-top:-200px;[/newclass][newclass=.Mikredhover:hover]opacity:0.4;transition:all linear 1s;-webkit-transition:all linear 1s;background-color:#fff;[/newclass] [newclass=.Mikredhovertext]font-family:Arial;color:#4c306a;font-size:18px;text-align:justify;[/newclass]
Mikaela raised an eyebrow at his tough, guarded act. 'Not much surprises me anymore.' Was that a fact? She'd just have to see for herself. After all, if there was anything she was good at it was taking foolish bastards by surprise. A wicked smile spread across her face and she eyed him like a cat stalking a mouse. [break][break]
She shut the locker and leisurely began closing the distance between them. “And which services do you suppose I’d provide?” she purred. “I have no real interest in helping… how did you describe them? Pathetic cowards?” She stopped a couple feet away from him and looked up at him through thick lashes, inspecting his face. It would be so easy to figure out what would really make him tick and target all his weak points, but she wasn’t interested in more enemies. Perhaps she could make something of this, though. [break][break]
“But you’re different than them aren’t you?” Her tone was sweet, but her smile was lined with knives. “You’re bold enough to walk right up to me despite the obvious gaping holes in your intel.” Her expression hardened and she pulled shadows up around her, an action meant far more for intimidation than anything else. If she could scare this man away from getting himself killed she might feel slightly better about herself. “You're in the wrong business to be so foolish. You’re lucky I’m not the monster you’ve heard stories about. Keep this up and soon it won’t just be your neck on the line.” [break][break]
That was a lesson she’d learned from multiple perspective, and it haunted her movements. Plenty of people had gotten hurt dipping their toes into trouble, but when they got too deep into those waters that pain began extending to others around them. After all, everyone had a weak point outside of themselves and that weak point was usually the easiest, and the cheapest, to target.
[attr=class,Mikredheadertext1]I'm not ready for the truth to see the light
[attr=class,Mikredheadertext2]Make it up, Make it pretty, I don't mind
[newclass=.Mikredimage]width:500px;height:200px;background-image:url('https://i.ibb.co/hxzNqkk/download.png');border-left: solid 10px #8f0505;border-right: solid 10px #8f0505;[/newclass] [newclass=.Mikredhover]opacity:0;transition:all linear 1s;-webkit-transition:all linear 1s;height:200px;width:500px;margin-top:-200px;[/newclass][newclass=.Mikredhover:hover]opacity:0.4;transition:all linear 1s;-webkit-transition:all linear 1s;background-color:#fff;[/newclass] [newclass=.Mikredhovertext]font-family:Arial;color:#4c306a;font-size:18px;text-align:justify;[/newclass]
Mikaela hated this. She hated the flames and the light and the fact that she needed Touri’s help. And she hated the fact that if he was sane he’d ignore her precarious situation and help himself first. She could probably get out on her own if she had to. Her cat form was small enough to sneak through. But she couldn’t risk anything falling on her and she didn’t know if she’d be able to take in enough air not to suffocate in a smaller form.
[break][break]
The already unbearable heat was rising and Mikaela felt certain she’d choke on the smoke if she stayed here much longer. And the brightness. It was the best she could do to keep her smoke-stung eyes open against the light’s assault, especially as she gazed at the flame, terrified it would lash out and catch her off guard. She couldn’t tell how much of the heat closing in around her was from the flames climbing further and how much was from the claustrophobia clamping down on her lungs.
[break][break]
She lashed out with shadows, dulling the brightness of the fire, but it didn’t do much to help. If she had more control she might be able to make a full shield, but she’d never liked the idea of being able to do that. She’d purposefully kept the ability weak so she couldn’t be forced to use it against others. She heard glass shattering behind her and turned in time to see Touri in front of a now empty window frame.
[break][break]
”Of course I can climb.” she hissed, almost offended at the idea that she couldn’t. Her instinct was yelling at her to get out, but as she stepped towards the window and looked out she hesitated. If she climbed down she’d technically be out of the bounds of the party when she reached the ground and that would break her deal with her sister. Plus she didn’t know where her twin actually was, and she couldn’t leave without knowing Libby was safe.
[break][break]
So, despite everything in her demanding otherwise, she closed her eyes and took a breath, paying attention to the way it burned her throat. She had to think. She pressed her back against the wall by the window to make sure the fire didn’t sneak up on her and pulled out her phone. It was close to midnight, but not quite there yet. She swiped open the device and texting Libby one more time: Get out and text me when you’re gone. Until she got that message in response she wouldn’t assume her sister was safe.
[break][break]
Her moments of hesitation cost her as the crackling fire jumped closer, tearing through the spot she would have been if it weren’t for well trained reflexes. She managed to dodge most of the fire, but not quickly enough to entirely clear her arm of the area. She yelped and tugged her arm to her chest, eyes watering more at the pain. She clenched her jaw tightly and stepped into the window sill. She had enough of a sense of self preservation not to stay any longer with the flames so close. The outside of the building was stone so the fire wouldn’t make it out. It would be a much safer place to kill time while her life was in imminent danger.
[attr=class,Mikredheadertext1]I'm not ready for the truth to see the light
[attr=class,Mikredheadertext2]Make it up, Make it pretty, I don't mind
[newclass=.Mikredimage]width:500px;height:200px;background-image:url('https://i.ibb.co/hxzNqkk/download.png');border-left: solid 10px #8f0505;border-right: solid 10px #8f0505;[/newclass] [newclass=.Mikredhover]opacity:0;transition:all linear 1s;-webkit-transition:all linear 1s;height:200px;width:500px;margin-top:-200px;[/newclass][newclass=.Mikredhover:hover]opacity:0.4;transition:all linear 1s;-webkit-transition:all linear 1s;background-color:#fff;[/newclass] [newclass=.Mikredhovertext]font-family:Arial;color:#4c306a;font-size:18px;text-align:justify;[/newclass]
Mikaela raised an eyebrow but didn't respond. If she had to guess, she'd say he was some simple criminal more in it for the action and drama than any real ambition, but she knew better than to run with that theory. Regardless, she didn't think anything too significant would come from this, and she didn't want to draw attention by talking to the wrong people for too long. Murder, though. She had always had a policy of no killing, though it was never to avoid getting blood on her hands. In her opinion there were far worse things than death, and for a while she'd been an expert in those particular fields. [break][break] She clicked her tongue at his nonanswer. Whether he wanted to start a fight or not, if one came she would be damned if she was unprepared. "So either you're armed and don't want to admit it or you don't want me to realize just how unarmed you are." She put the pill bottle back in her locker before pulling out two knives, securing one to a sheath at her hip and the other to one hidden at her thigh beneath her skirt. "Evening the grounds. I'm sure you don't mind, if you're not looking to start anything," she drawled, a note of challenge in her voice. [break][break]
Then she studied him a bit closer, analyzing the situation. "You either have some serious problems, or the gall to lie to me. My reputation is made to keep people who know it from bothering me, so why are you different?" she mused, "Normally I would lie and send you running, but the way you're talking I suspect if I told you I knew how to skin a man strip by strip when I was 11, it wouldn't do the trick this time." [break][break]
She looked over him carefully once more. He had to be lying. No one would corner someone like her for mere curiosity. Whatever he wanted would come out soon enough, but she wanted it to be a bit faster. "Angel Eyes, I am a reality standing in front of you. I am inclined to let people say what they want about me, but if you came here to hurl accusations at me or to gawk you're wasting my time. I suggest you ask more specific questions or get down to what you really want from me pretty quick before I decide to just walk away."
[attr=class,Mikredheadertext1]I'm not ready for the truth to see the light
[attr=class,Mikredheadertext2]Make it up, Make it pretty, I don't mind
[newclass=.Mikredimage]width:500px;height:200px;background-image:url('https://i.ibb.co/hxzNqkk/download.png');border-left: solid 10px #8f0505;border-right: solid 10px #8f0505;[/newclass] [newclass=.Mikredhover]opacity:0;transition:all linear 1s;-webkit-transition:all linear 1s;height:200px;width:500px;margin-top:-200px;[/newclass][newclass=.Mikredhover:hover]opacity:0.4;transition:all linear 1s;-webkit-transition:all linear 1s;background-color:#fff;[/newclass] [newclass=.Mikredhovertext]font-family:Arial;color:#4c306a;font-size:18px;text-align:justify;[/newclass]
“Oh thank you, thank you, thank you!” she grinned as she took his arm and they departed to the dance floor. Mikaela didn’t like dancing. It was one of the skills like playing the piano that her father had insisted she learn, not to be classy or dignified but so she could trick people into thinking she was should the situation call for it. He’d wanted her to be able to blend into any setting, so things like that were meant to be used as weapons rather than than hobbies. Nonetheless, she was skilled enough to keep up the dance as her gaze traveled the room, taking in the details more thoroughly. She needed a back exit that wouldn’t draw too much attention. Normally she would have noted all the possible exits when she came in, but she was out of practise and she really hasn’t expected to be facing any threats. [break][break] All too aware that she had to keep up her facade to avoid suspicion, she began speaking again, letting a lie spill out without too much thought. She’d never had much trouble coming up on with lies. “Normally I wouldn’t ask a stranger to dance, but the guy I came with… Well I guess he wasn’t who I thought.” She glanced down and chewed at her bottom lip, as though some straying boyfriend were truly on her list of concerns. After a moment of letting the expression linger on her face she shrugged. “But there’s no point in letting that ruin my night, right? This is a party and I have to say you’re better looking than him.” She glanced up at him from beneath her mask with a coy smile, studying his own concealed face. “…As far as I can tell, that is.”
[attr=class,Mikredheadertext1]I'm not ready for the truth to see the light
[attr=class,Mikredheadertext2]Make it up, Make it pretty, I don't mind
[newclass=.Mikredimage]width:500px;height:200px;background-image:url('https://i.ibb.co/hxzNqkk/download.png');border-left: solid 10px #8f0505;border-right: solid 10px #8f0505;[/newclass] [newclass=.Mikredhover]opacity:0;transition:all linear 1s;-webkit-transition:all linear 1s;height:200px;width:500px;margin-top:-200px;[/newclass][newclass=.Mikredhover:hover]opacity:0.4;transition:all linear 1s;-webkit-transition:all linear 1s;background-color:#fff;[/newclass] [newclass=.Mikredhovertext]font-family:Arial;color:#4c306a;font-size:18px;text-align:justify;[/newclass]
‘Ms. Murray.’ If she wasn’t convinced of his intentions by the way he carried himself or the fact that he’d approached her of all people, that name confirmed he wanted to drag up a past better left buried. The safest route would be to get him to leave now, but there was no guarantee he come back with the same trouble somewhere where she was less suited to handle it than here. Plus, her curiosity was nagging at her. “Im sure you have more important things to be worrying about than my reputation.” she drawled, twisting open the cap of the pill bottle and popping a couple in her mouth. The soreness in her ribs was getting worse and she knew the medicine would take a while to kick in.
[break][break]
She leaned back against the locker next to her, keeping both the entrance from the casino and the back exit in her sight. She may need to make a quick escape, even if things seemed relatively docile now. It would be best to get him to tell her whatever he wanted as soon as possible to minimise the chances of things escalating. If that required playing a part she’d given up long ago, so be it. “Or maybe you should be a bit more worried about my reputation.” she mused, a wicked smile spreading slowly across her face. “I’m sure it’s the only reason you’re here, so what sort of trouble are you looking for, Angel Eyes?” [break][break] “Oh, and are you armed?” she asked, watching him carefully. Crimson eyes scanned his exterior for signs of weapons but she knew perfectly well that spoke for nothing. Anyone worth their salt could and often did hide a few weapons on them. Of course asking him probably wouldn’t get her an honest answer, but she was curious just what sort of response she’d get. Was this guy a fool or somewhat competent, and did he want her to trust him for some reason?
[attr=class,Mikredheadertext1]I'm not ready for the truth to see the light
[attr=class,Mikredheadertext2]Make it up, Make it pretty, I don't mind
[newclass=.Mikredimage]width:500px;height:200px;background-image:url('https://i.ibb.co/hxzNqkk/download.png');border-left: solid 10px #8f0505;border-right: solid 10px #8f0505;[/newclass] [newclass=.Mikredhover]opacity:0;transition:all linear 1s;-webkit-transition:all linear 1s;height:200px;width:500px;margin-top:-200px;[/newclass][newclass=.Mikredhover:hover]opacity:0.4;transition:all linear 1s;-webkit-transition:all linear 1s;background-color:#fff;[/newclass] [newclass=.Mikredhovertext]font-family:Arial;color:#4c306a;font-size:18px;text-align:justify;[/newclass]
Mikaela pouted at his harsh growl. She hadn’t expected him to actually be interested, but he could have played along instead of being so boring. Nonetheless, she carefully analysed his words, eyes studying him carefully. He clearly wanted something if he was willing to wait to catch her alone, even if it was just 10 minutes. That probably meant something illegal or murder-y. [break][break] Either way she could end up in a tight spot so setting a truly private location would be the same as walking into a trap, and she didn’t really want to continue this conversation with only the small pocket knife they allowed her to carry at work, so she shook her head with a wry smile. “No need for that.” she purred, wavering between continuing flirting to piss him off and get his intentions in the open faster or being more serious about this in case she was in trouble. Of course, she’d never really considered trouble as a real reason to be serious. “As long as you’re not some perv looking for trouble,” she eyed him in a weary way that suggested he still wasn’t entirely above suspicion, “I’d love an excuse to get off a little early.”
[break][break]
Her gaze broke away from the stranger long enough to meet a coworker’s across the room. She tapped two fingers to her hip, a silent communication they used in the casino to seamlessly take care of gamblers without minimal disruption, to inform him she was taking a break. He didn’t look very happy about it, but she wanted at least one person to know where she was and he was too far away to actually stop her.
[break][break]
“Come along,” she grinned, placing a hand on his upper arm. Then she began walking away, not bothering to look back to see if he was following. If he wasn’t it would be all the better anyway. She didn’t need more on her plate. No matter how bored she might be. She slipped through the casino, expertly weaving between gamblers and machines until she made it to the bar, where she moved behind the counter to a white door marked ‘employees only’. As she walked she debated what the best way to go about this would be. She wanted to be armed but it would be hard to slip a weapon onto her person without him noticing and she didn’t want to raise any suspicions. Nearby would have to be close enough.
[break][break]
She reached for the door handle and glanced back behind her to motion for the man to follow before entering the familiar break room. It wasn’t too big, especially compared to the gaping hall of the casino, but it was big enough for four or five people with a couple tables, a coffee machine and water cooler, and several lockers lining one wall. “What’s up?” she asked, not bothering to look at him but being careful to listen for his steps as she made her way to her locker and popped it open, pulling out a bottle of pain killers.
[attr=class,Mikredheadertext1]I'm not ready for the truth to see the light
[attr=class,Mikredheadertext2]Make it up, Make it pretty, I don't mind
[newclass=.Mikredimage]width:500px;height:200px;background-image:url('https://i.ibb.co/hxzNqkk/download.png');border-left: solid 10px #8f0505;border-right: solid 10px #8f0505;[/newclass] [newclass=.Mikredhover]opacity:0;transition:all linear 1s;-webkit-transition:all linear 1s;height:200px;width:500px;margin-top:-200px;[/newclass][newclass=.Mikredhover:hover]opacity:0.4;transition:all linear 1s;-webkit-transition:all linear 1s;background-color:#fff;[/newclass] [newclass=.Mikredhovertext]font-family:Arial;color:#4c306a;font-size:18px;text-align:justify;[/newclass]
Mikaela’s lips quirked into a half smile at his comeback. If they weren’t potentially enemies she would enjoy the banter. It was so hard to find anyone with good humour and all her best ‘buddies’ we’re back in Italy. As it was, she weighed the strangers words, scanning his face for any signs that he was lying. There were no typical tells, but that didn’t necessarily make them allies. She had the tendency not to trust people, especially when they showed up where they shouldn’t be, admitted to working for someone, and acted like there was no reason for them to be anything but friends. Besides, it wasn’t like she was here on her own behalf. The Ravagers had specifically assigned her this job and the only time she was really serious about anything was when she was on a job. She hadn’t been told whether this information was the type they were ok with others getting their hands on. [break][break] She scowled, taking a few steps to follow him as he shifted his position. She had planned to shift and maybe ‘get stuck in a tree’ where she could see everything she needed without straining her eyes. No one would be suspicious of a sleepy cat. But with this added complication she couldn’t leave him unwatched. In the flash of a moment she decided he couldn’t be trusted. She’d play along, but she didn’t trust the man she’d followed not to be a backstabbing scumbag if he thought he wouldn’t get his way. [break][break] ”And after the deal goes down you don’t plan to, say, shoot one guy, take their baggage, and run off to the shoe sale with that fancy new blood money?” she asked, staying very aware of how loud she could talk without it carrying to the lambs. Even if she didn’t know them she didn’t really want to see either of them dead. They had begun their negotiations and while the target facing her had been the one she followed she wasn’t at the right angle to make out the face of the other. She’d have to circle around later, she’d been told to figure out specifically who had been sent to do the dirty work. For now it would be safer to stay close to the unexpected party so if he did have his own agenda she had a chance to stop him.
[attr=class,Mikredheadertext1]I'm not ready for the truth to see the light
[attr=class,Mikredheadertext2]Make it up, Make it pretty, I don't mind
[newclass=.Mikredimage]width:500px;height:200px;background-image:url('https://i.ibb.co/hxzNqkk/download.png');border-left: solid 10px #8f0505;border-right: solid 10px #8f0505;[/newclass] [newclass=.Mikredhover]opacity:0;transition:all linear 1s;-webkit-transition:all linear 1s;height:200px;width:500px;margin-top:-200px;[/newclass][newclass=.Mikredhover:hover]opacity:0.4;transition:all linear 1s;-webkit-transition:all linear 1s;background-color:#fff;[/newclass] [newclass=.Mikredhovertext]font-family:Arial;color:#4c306a;font-size:18px;text-align:justify;[/newclass]
18 year old Mikaela Lye had practically grown up cloaked in the shadows of hidden back alleys, escaping view while taking in every detail of her surroundings. While other children had been sitting through classes on reading and making friends or whatever, she had been taught to blend in, to match her environment no matter what the situation called for. And the darkness that provided so many criminals a false sense of security were her natural hunting grounds. [break][break] It scared her how much more she thrived in the criminal underbelly of the city than anywhere else. When she’d come to Canada she’d been serious about getting a fresh start and keeping her hands clean, and yet here she was three months later, silently trailing a target at a safe distance to let him lead her to his shady deal.
[break][break]
The last time she’d attended one of these it hadn’t gone well and she’d barely gotten out without being seen, but this one promised to be a simple, almost boring job. About five minutes before he actually arrived at the destination Mikaela decided she knew well enough where the lamb was going and split off from him to scout out the area.
[break][break]
The empty parking lot had a lot of open space, which meant the radius where threats could lie in wait was larger. She didn’t really think this sort of deal was large enough that either parties would have brought back up, but she scouted the perimeter anyway. It was simple enough to remain hidden behind bushes and shadows as she silently scouted around.
[break][break]
Out of the corner of her eye she caught a dark form within the shadows that held her attention. Her hand slid down to a knife sheathed at her side and she took comfort in the cool metal at her palm, even if she had no intention of using it before she had a better grasp of the situation. Her lamb had appeared in the parking lot, but hadn’t actually stepped out into the open to address the other person waiting yet. Not that he was half as good at stealth as he though he was.
[break][break]
She kept an eye on the two lambs as she stalked a bit closer to this mysterious third party. Based on his position she doubted he was at the other end of the deal about to go down, so was he an ambush or was she dealing with another spy? He didn’t look like a very good ambush, but she knew better than to judge based on appearances and if anything got in the way of this deal she knew she’d get in trouble for it.
[break][break]
”You’re early,” she drawled in her thick Italian accent. She made sure to pitch her voice low enough that it wouldn’t carry across the parking lot. ”The mall doesn’t open for another few hours. I mean that shoe sale sounds great but you could get hurt being out alone at night, coniglio” Her voice dripped with sweet condescension, knowing if this man was a spy he wouldn’t risk raising his voice to snap back. Whether there was actually some sort of sale at the mall or not was beside the point.
[attr=class,Mikredheadertext1]I'm not ready for the truth to see the light
[attr=class,Mikredheadertext2]Make it up, Make it pretty, I don't mind
[newclass=.Mikredimage]width:500px;height:200px;background-image:url('https://i.ibb.co/hxzNqkk/download.png');border-left: solid 10px #8f0505;border-right: solid 10px #8f0505;[/newclass] [newclass=.Mikredhover]opacity:0;transition:all linear 1s;-webkit-transition:all linear 1s;height:200px;width:500px;margin-top:-200px;[/newclass][newclass=.Mikredhover:hover]opacity:0.4;transition:all linear 1s;-webkit-transition:all linear 1s;background-color:#fff;[/newclass] [newclass=.Mikredhovertext]font-family:Arial;color:#4c306a;font-size:18px;text-align:justify;[/newclass]
Mikaela Lye was reckless, careless, and lucky to be alive. She knew this because her mother had spent the better half of the previous day screaming it in her face. Not that she really considered the woman who’d birthed her and raised her twin sister to be a true parent. She hadn’t been there when Mikaela was growing up. She’d taken Mik’s sister, Libby, and fled to her family in Canada, leaving the older of the two twins with her father in Italy. Mikaela wouldn’t have had it any other way, Libby was the one true light of innocence she could never bear to see dimmed, but that didn’t mean she had to be any happier with the parent who had left her.
[break][break]
Besides, she wasn’t stupid enough to be half as irresponsible as she seemed. Every word spoken to her just reminded her how little her mother knew her. How different their worlds were. Because sure, Mikaela took far too many risks where her life was concerned and could never seem to stay under the radar completely, but she knew what she was doing. She knew where she couldn’t afford to take risks and how to keep the attention of people who mattered off of her.
[break][break]
That was why she had avoided parties at places like Wenfire’s manor for the past four years. To most people they were loud and hard to navigate, but as her eyes cut through the crowd she took in every important detail and knew she shouldn’t be there. Between the music and the shimmering light, there were shadows and silence. Shadows where the important dealings were made. Shadows where people might recognise her for who she used to be. And shadows where it would be so easy to lose her grip on this mundane life she’d chosen.
[break][break]
But as she navigated the crowd she knew she wouldn’t be identified easily. She’d been out of the scene for years and these mascarades only existed for the sake of anonymity. She had a penchant for finery, especially where the masks of her homeland were concerned, but she’d been sure not to go overboard when selecting her rose gold mask and cream cloak, or the white dress underneath. It was all picked to blend in and to not look like herself. Anyone who knew her well would probably know she’d wear something more extravagant for this sort of thing to intentionally draw attention and stir up some drama, and she typically avoided wearing pink or white. It was too frilly and innocent for her taste. Plus, a blonde wig disguised the one feature that differentiated her from her twin sister. She hated blurring that line, even if it was already dangerously thin, but she knew this was her best shot at entirely blending in.
[break][break]
She wouldn’t have come at all if it wasn’t important. She may not have stepped into this scene for years, but her time collecting debt had been paid off and she had enough feelers out there to know something important would happen here tonight. Some deal regarding the mafia she’d left behind years ago - not the Ravagers, but the serpents she had grown up with in Italy. If it was true then she had to be prepared to be pulled back into the world she was trying to avoid anyway. She didn’t know exactly who she was looking for, but light, casual steps carried her around the room. With a glass of champagne in her hand and a very slight waver to her walk, she felt she was indistinguishable from the crowd as she unassumingly passed by each of those shadowy conversations, just close enough for her heightened senses to pick up on. But nothing. It was a complete and utter waste of her time.
[break][break]
Of course, nothing could really be a waste of her time. Not when she’d been drawn somewhere by someone who could have had ill will against her. Especially not when that something that had been used as bait had been so irresistible. Her crimson gaze scanned the dance floor again, taking in posture and gait of each attendant as quickly as she could. At first there was nothing amiss, but then she spotted two people in a corner, talking but glancing away from the conversation a bit too much for their own good. A man leaning against a wall near an exit looking a little too exhausted for his eyes to be so keenly aware. A woman in a familiar dress at the main entrance. Something in the style of their clothing told her what she needed to know. They weren’t local. [break][break] Mikaela scolded herself for being such a fool, then sent a silent prayer to god that the first plan that popped into her head was a good one. She would have to deal with this eventually if her father wanted her to cooperate, but not right now. Right now she felt like the walls were closing in around her and she couldn’t breath. She needed out. So she scouted out the person in the crowd around her that seemed the most careless and tapped on his shoulder, hoping whoever it was would play along. ”Would it be totally inappropriate if I asked you to dance with me?” she asked, forcing her voice to be light and airy without a trace of its usual Italian accent.
[attr=class,Mikredheadertext1]I'm not ready for the truth to see the light
[attr=class,Mikredheadertext2]Make it up, Make it pretty, I don't mind
[newclass=.Mikredimage]width:500px;height:200px;background-image:url('https://i.ibb.co/hxzNqkk/download.png');border-left: solid 10px #8f0505;border-right: solid 10px #8f0505;[/newclass] [newclass=.Mikredhover]opacity:0;transition:all linear 1s;-webkit-transition:all linear 1s;height:200px;width:500px;margin-top:-200px;[/newclass][newclass=.Mikredhover:hover]opacity:0.4;transition:all linear 1s;-webkit-transition:all linear 1s;background-color:#fff;[/newclass] [newclass=.Mikredhovertext]font-family:Arial;color:#4c306a;font-size:18px;text-align:justify;[/newclass]
After a long night of dealing cards in a private room and putting up with drunk idiots, the bright flashes of lights and general cacophony of the casino’s main room were grating on Mikaela’s heightened neko senses. Her shift was almost over, but as the minutes ticked by she found herself wishing she could just leave now that the main part of her job was over. She worked here to deal cards, not to answer questions and direct intoxicated gamblers to the bathroom. But she still kept her face as neutral as possible and smiled whenever anyone tore themselves away from their games long enough to approach her.
[break][break]
As the time wore on, her chest began to ache, a sign that her painkillers had begun to wear off. She’d gotten into a brawl a few nights before and she’d taken a heavy blow to the ribs that she hadn’t gotten looked at. She didn’t really feel the need to get every wound checked out when she had meds strong enough to take care of any pain.
[break][break]
She was about to slip out to the break room when she was approached by a tall, dark haired man. He smelled of smoke and she did her best not to wrinkle her nose, but she didn’t detect any alcohol on his breath. There weren’t many sober people in the casino and most of them were workers. And his request to speak to her in specific set her on edge. [break][break] “That depends,” she drawled, deciding it would be best to test the water before either letting a stranger talk to her in private or turn him away altogether. It would be best to subtly scare him off and if he stuck around it might actually be important. Her Italian accent was thick with implications as she continued on. “Whats on your mind, Angel Eyes? Whatever… company you’re looking for shouldn’t be too hard to find.” she motioned vaguely in the direction of a few girls dressed in barely any clothes who sold their souls and bodies to make their living. If she had her way they’d be kicked out whether they were on duty flirting with any guy that looked their way or innocent gamblers, but the fact was that they drew more business. “Unfortunately,” she continued, casually placing a hand on his shoulder and leaning in a bit closer, more to see how he’d react than the continue the act, “I’m working and I’m not off for another ten minutes so I can’t really entertain you right now.” The lingering smell of cigarettes made her eyes sting a bit, but she forced a wry smile anyway.
[attr=class,Mikredheadertext1]I'm not ready for the truth to see the light
[attr=class,Mikredheadertext2]Make it up, Make it pretty, I don't mind
[newclass=.Mikredimage]width:500px;height:200px;background-image:url('https://i.ibb.co/hxzNqkk/download.png');border-left: solid 10px #8f0505;border-right: solid 10px #8f0505;[/newclass] [newclass=.Mikredhover]opacity:0;transition:all linear 1s;-webkit-transition:all linear 1s;height:200px;width:500px;margin-top:-200px;[/newclass][newclass=.Mikredhover:hover]opacity:0.4;transition:all linear 1s;-webkit-transition:all linear 1s;background-color:#fff;[/newclass] [newclass=.Mikredhovertext]font-family:Arial;color:#4c306a;font-size:18px;text-align:justify;[/newclass]
Mikaela would have winced at the boy’s obvious display of excitement if she actually gave a crap about his well being. Being so open about what he wanted would only serve to get him hurt in the future. But she didn’t really care what came of him, and if someone was going to abuse his eagerness anyway it might as well be her. It was a rare treat to meet someone so easy to read in a location where everyone had secrets kept close to their heart. There was no way he wasn’t hiding some illicit behaviour, beyond being a bloody awful cheat, and she wanted to know what it was. [break][break] "Little Viper, I couldn't care less what you call me or what you claim to be called." she drawled, reaching down to help him up. "But at least try to be more creative than that. When your name is Ashlynn, Ashy isn't exactly an uncommon nickname." Pointless as it may have been, the lie was spoken as smoothly as a truth. Lying always came easily to Mikaela, and lying about her name was as simple as breathing. Even when she didn’t have to, it was almost easier than going by her actual name. It certainly stopped people from tracking her down in the future. [break][break] "The first thing you need to learn is how to lie. It comes easy to some people, but in your case it’s not exactly a natural talent." she wrinkled her nose. There was very little Mikaela trusted less than a bad liar. The world was filled with liars, so she didn’t understand how they could make it through life without being eaten alive. She personally believed it was easier to pretend to be a bad liar than to make it through life being genuinely honest. "And cheating is a form of lying. Lying and stealing, really, which makes it a far more respectable skill in my book."
[attr=class,Mikredheadertext1]I'm not ready for the truth to see the light
[attr=class,Mikredheadertext2]Make it up, Make it pretty, I don't mind
[newclass=.Mikredimage]width:500px;height:200px;background-image:url('https://i.ibb.co/hxzNqkk/download.png');border-left: solid 10px #8f0505;border-right: solid 10px #8f0505;[/newclass] [newclass=.Mikredhover]opacity:0;transition:all linear 1s;-webkit-transition:all linear 1s;height:200px;width:500px;margin-top:-200px;[/newclass][newclass=.Mikredhover:hover]opacity:0.4;transition:all linear 1s;-webkit-transition:all linear 1s;background-color:#fff;[/newclass] [newclass=.Mikredhovertext]font-family:Arial;color:#4c306a;font-size:18px;text-align:justify;[/newclass]
Mikaela smirked. She'd gone with poetry and art since the idea of it alone seemed to be enough to make most people weary, but the subject didn't really matter. She was quite certain she could make any subject sound dull. She could also make the same subject seem like the most fascinating thing in the world. It was all in how it was presented. [break][break] Personally, she adored literature. It was one of the few things she could enjoy without worrying about what a monster it made her or who's influence made her gravitate towards it. Like this fight. Tonight was turning out to be far from what she'd expected, and she wasn't sure she liked it. If she had the life she really wanted, which she supposedly did, she wouldn't be fighting. She'd be walking away. [break][break] She watched as he shifted into a more offensive stance and moved into her own defensive position. "You see some link between shadows and speed?" she asked with amusement as she stepped back from the first jab and held up an arm to block a second. It was a strong blow to block, confirming her belief that she should be trying to dodge. If she just blocked she'd end up with bruises all up her arm and explaining that at work would be a whole ordeal that was far from worth it. [break][break] She shook her head, falling into a rhythm of dodging. This reminded her more of a training match than a real fight. "Speed is a strength. Darkness is a less stable crutch than a rotten twig. Labeling the two as similar would likely be the death of me." There was a note of frustration in her voice, directed more at herself than him. That was just another thing she'd taken from her father's influence. Sometimes it felt like the lessons he'd taught made up more of her than her own mind. [break][break] Her brief moment of distraction was shattered at Salem's odd command, and she tensed, ready to jump in any direction. Something shifted in the ground deep beneath her, and by the time she processed exactly what was going on she barely had time to start moving before two hands snapped out of the ground and tried to latch onto her. She moved fast, but one of the hands managed to clasp onto her left ankle nonetheless. [break][break] "Oh Sogna!" she gasped, eyes alight with joy. She was careful not to let her guard down entirely. She'd defended herself backed into a corner, if he tried to land any blows how it would hardly be any different. "Parlor tricks?” [break][break] It was rare that an attacker grabbed her ankle when she hadn’t already been taken to the ground, so most of the training she’d had hadn’t directly addressed this sort of situation. Still, she had enough practice in momentum that she was sure it couldn’t be that difficult. With a sharp motion, she took a step forward and pivoted on the captured ankle then jerked away. Her normal follow up to escaping a grab was to break the wrist, but she had a feeling that wouldn’t affect the undead so she put some distance between herself and the grave instead, consequentially putting her closer to Salem. "Come on, let’s finish this off, I’ve got to go to work in like…" she glanced up at the dark sky. It was still the middle of the night without a trace of dawn’s light. That made it harder to tell the exact time and she didn’t really feel like pulling out her phone to check so she guessed. "An hour and a half?"
[attr=class,Mikredheadertext1]I'm not ready for the truth to see the light
[attr=class,Mikredheadertext2]Make it up, Make it pretty, I don't mind
[newclass=.Mikredimage]width:500px;height:200px;background-image:url('https://i.ibb.co/hxzNqkk/download.png');border-left: solid 10px #8f0505;border-right: solid 10px #8f0505;[/newclass] [newclass=.Mikredhover]opacity:0;transition:all linear 1s;-webkit-transition:all linear 1s;height:200px;width:500px;margin-top:-200px;[/newclass][newclass=.Mikredhover:hover]opacity:0.4;transition:all linear 1s;-webkit-transition:all linear 1s;background-color:#fff;[/newclass] [newclass=.Mikredhovertext]font-family:Arial;color:#4c306a;font-size:18px;text-align:justify;[/newclass]
Mikaela frowned as he avoided her question, marking it off as friendly banter. She hate it when people only focused on one aspect of a conversation. The stuff in between was just as important to any good con. "It's not..." she shook her head. "Friendly banter, as you call it, isn't without it's purpose. It's about setting expectations so when you do have to stop and think people don't see you're taken off guard." Even if they were in a friendly setting, enemies could be anywhere and letting your real feelings into the open could be dangerous. Any bit of truth exposed to the wrong person could be used in unpredictably harmful ways. [break][break] She narrowed her eyes. She knew this world was different than the one she haunted now, but the basic rules still should have been the same. Gemello could only do harm by wearing his heart on his sleeve. Assuming that was what he was doing at all. He could have been a much better liar than she gave him credit for. "You know, you should really calm down. If you're always in such a hurry you'll miss stuff." she said with a polite smile. "In this line of business that would be very bad." she added helpfully. [break][break] She paused before finally addressing what she knew was the most important to her conversation partner at the moment. "Now what's this about a problem?" she asked, furrowing her brow in a pretty good display of confusion. She reviewed her words carefully, making sure she'd never explicitly said there was a problem, before continuing. "Should there be a problem?" She tilted her head to the side. "And if there was a problem why would it be something you need to take care of? Really, you shouldn't be hearing about any of my work. At least, not directly from me. I don't report to you."
[attr=class,Mikredheadertext1]I'm not ready for the truth to see the light
[attr=class,Mikredheadertext2]Make it up, Make it pretty, I don't mind
[newclass=.Mikredimage]width:500px;height:200px;background-image:url('https://i.ibb.co/hxzNqkk/download.png');border-left: solid 10px #8f0505;border-right: solid 10px #8f0505;[/newclass] [newclass=.Mikredhover]opacity:0;transition:all linear 1s;-webkit-transition:all linear 1s;height:200px;width:500px;margin-top:-200px;[/newclass][newclass=.Mikredhover:hover]opacity:0.4;transition:all linear 1s;-webkit-transition:all linear 1s;background-color:#fff;[/newclass] [newclass=.Mikredhovertext]font-family:Arial;color:#4c306a;font-size:18px;text-align:justify;[/newclass]
Mikaela resisted a small smile as he rushed toward her, taking a step back and bracing herself just in case he had noticed the fault in the road or it wasn’t significant enough to actually trip him up. If she’d learned anything in her lifetime it was that even the most well placed plans sometimes went awry. It was always always the things that slipped through the cracks that hit the hardest. [break][break] This was one of the situations where things went Mikaela’s way. She clapped giddily. "You know, I really oughta thank you. I thought tonight was going to be so boring." she yawned, walking over to stand over his collapsed form. "If I help you up are you gonna try to run again? Or, I don't know, electrocute me?" She asked, placing a hand on her hip. She kind of hoped he said no, but his cooperation would be best. She was supposed to be avoiding fights. At least, she'd recently made a deal not to seek them out, and this seemed like a thin line she was walking. [break][break]
"If you do I'll tell you how I knew you were cheating so you can do better next time," she offered with wide, innocent eyes. She really shouldn't be helping a cheat succeed, but it was unlikely he'd be showing his face at her particular casino again and if he did it would be so much more entertaining if she had to work harder to guess at his sleight of hand. "Oh! And I could give you some tips on lying better too... You've got guts which is a great start, but lying isn't all about having the courage to risk getting caught. It's also, ya know, trying not to be transparent."
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