Speirys~

I knew there would be trouble at the Masquerade, but this is one outcome I hadn't considered very much. I should have paid more attention when we entered the building to make note of what kind of security they have and factor it in to any kind of escape plans, but I keep thinking about how I failed to keep the others out of harm. Finni's screams... they'd reminded me of why I joined the Resistance in the first place. There were plenty of reasons, but one of them was to pretect people from Catastrophe. The fact that I let seven others join me in going to prison...

Nevermind. I would just have to get them all out.

They seperate us into two groups; Taurus and Gamgi are taken one way, and Aakash and I are taken another. That'll make forming an escape plan much more difficult- which is probably the point. I can't help my frustration, though. I can only hope we'll be allowed to talk at some point.

I start pacing almost immediately after the cell door is locked. "Okay," I say finally. "How to get out of here. We know Gamgi and Taurus are being kept in a different place from us, but we don't know if we'll ever get the chance to communicate with them. Either way we need to get an understanding of the prison and our routine before we can really plan anything. After we get the four of us out, we have to figure out where the B.L.A.D.E Institution is so we can free Astrid, West, Beacon and Finni."

"BLADE is somewhere around Bleak and Meek Peak. I'm not sure exactly where," Aakash offers. "And we need to get back our stuff that they took from us."

Oh, great. One more thing to do and a hundred more things that could go wrong. "Why do we have to? What's so important"

He looks away. "Whatever. We just need to."

I sigh. Whatever. It's not my business what's so important to him. And I have to admit I'd feel better if I could get back Lex's rock, plus my comm.

I sit down. I shouldn't be worrying about this so much right now; there isn;t much I can do at the moment. But every mistake I've made today and all the things I'll have to do to make up for them weigh on me, and I can't seem to lighten the load. I look over at Ash. He doesn't seem phased, just annoyed really. I can't decide if it's an act or not; I don't think I imagined the way he looked at me back in the transport.

"Hey," somebody whispers from the cell across from ours. I spot someone around my age with brown hair and hazel eyes looking in my direction. He holds a pen between two fingers- how he managed to keep it is beyond me. "I'm Corin."

I nod. "Speirys."

"You're part of the Resistance, right?" Another nod. He clicks his pen rapidly. "Good. I'm wondering if I could ask you some questions?" 

would you mind if i joined with aislynn and iris? 

iris luna- 

i sat down, fidgeting with my necklaces. 

you see, i'd been caught stealing from a soldier. i don't exactly know what side they were on, but now i'm in here. 

fair enough. 

i continue tapping my feet on the ground, zoning out. i don't hear anything interesting- just continue tapping my feet on the floor, fidgeting with my necklaces

i sigh, until the door opens. i hiss at the person who opens it, silently but menacingly. 

they don't seem to notice me.

good. 

they say some threatening words in another language- i forgot which one, i only know what they said. 

they turn their head towards me, and i furrow my eyebrows, as a determined look makes it's way onto my face. 

"you. little...whatever you are. faery. i suppose. iris luna, correct?" 

"yeah, that's my name. also, i'm a lunae. get it right. wow, i suppose you really think we're a threat. coming into a prison with metal claws. goodness's sake, now i see why you're so worried. so fretful." 

"you're afraid we'll escape, aren't you?" 

"shut your mouth." 

"hmm. no. and i'm quite sure you won't kill me, because if that- well, whoever ordered our capture, should have recognized these." 

i dangle my necklaces in front of him. a look of...surprise passes across his face. 

"that's right. i don't think they'd want you to kill me, now would they? these only last for a very short time...such a pity." 

i smirk, as the guard or whoever finally realizes that they probably shouldn't kill me. 

"well, i'd still suggest you shut your mouth." he growls. 

i shrug, tossing my necklaces into the air and catching them. "i'll do whatever i want." 

the guard gives up. 

ah, being annoying is lovely. 

i see the guard turn to aislynn, and i slightly laugh. aislynn is leaning against the wall, picking at a golden bracelet she has on. 

"you. wolf hybrid." 

"my name's aislynn. aislynn lupo. show some respect, if you wouldn't mind." 

"i'll do what i want." 

"ooooh, im so scared. wow i have a rude captor, it's the end of the world." 

aislynn picks some more at her bracelet, rolling her eyes. 

"shut your mouth." 

aislynn shrugs. "whatever you say." 

instead of shutting her mouth, however, she leans foward and looks the guard in the eyes. 

silver meeting blue-purple. 

"good luck. you'll need it." 

lynn leans back onto the wall, feigning casualness.  

to clarify what happened in my last post, it's in a different cell. 

imma just go ahead and say that the metal claws were mandatory, as a "precaution". the silver eyes are a sort of side effect of maybe a strength potion? 

[yeah i messed up, sorry-]  

Corin/Anatemori~~

They were in a dream.

Corin had somehow managed to fall asleep, though weakly, threatening to awaken at any moment. The dream around him seemed faint, dying, ready to shatter at any moment. He stood in an empty grey field, a lifeless white sky above him. Anatemori stood across from him--he looked like xe had prior to the experiment. Their pale hair waved in the gentle breeze.

"Why did you do it?" Anatemori's voice held no emotion in it.

"I had to! I can't stand by and watch people suffer," Corin said.

"You nearly got us killed. And look where we are now. Do you really expect me to be able to find a way out?" 

"Yes, I do! I know you can!"

Anatemori scoffed. "Not in a week. Not in a body this… useless." Corin flinched.

"What if we had allies?"

"Who in their right mind would try to break out?" Anger crept into the edges of Anatemori's tone. "Nobody's going to risk their life for someone like you."

"We'll find someone," Corin insisted. "I'll find someone. Multiple someones! I'll gather a team if that's what I have to do!'

Xe laughed. "If you can get a team together by tomorrow, then maybe I'll help. But you won't."

"I will! I swear! Anatemori, just tru--"

The dream crumbled away, and Corin's words turned to dust. Slowly, the monochrome field turned into the stone and metal walls of his jail cell. 

Slowly, Anatemori's laughter drifted away.

~~

It took me two weeks to a write a short post that isn't very plot-heavy, but oh well.

Taurus~

Yesterday has officially been named the worst day of my life. Starting off with an awkward ball, ending with a trip to prison, and an upset Sanukan, screaming deer, and restless night all mixed into the vat of awfulness. And Gamgi and I got separated from Speirys and Aakash, which I'm sure will make it harder for us to make an escape plan. Gamgi and I sure didn't share any ideas. I feel like something happened back at the ball upset her, and if she doesn't want to strike up a conversation, then I won't bother her.

Now we're sitting in a tiny courtyard, the four of us plus some guy named Corin who's clutching a pen and a crumpled piece of paper like his life depends on it. But to be fair, it might. On that piece of paper, he's written down every single thing the five of us have observed about the prison, hoping that we can make a plan with what we know. But any kind of escape plan will have to take into account how we're split up into two groups, we have to find our possessions and get them back, and we only have one week to do it. Corin seems very optimistic about us pulling this off, but I'm certain of the opposite. There are a lot of variables in our equation. What if the guard rotation changes? If we can't find where our stuff is? And how can we know what the outside security will be like?

Still, writing down everything we see and basing our plan off of those observations is pretty smart. Gamgi and I tell them about where we've been and what we've seen that they haven't. It's only mid-morning, though, so there isn't much to talk about. It's a bit frustrating to think that with a timeline of a week, all we'll be able to do today is collect information, but at least it's something. And we have a goal and a plan, which is good enough for me. 

Aakash~~

Gamgi, Speirys, Taurus and I sit on the grass, Corin sitting across from us with his pen and paper. I say grass, but it’s more akin to dirt with a few green specks in it. There are some other groups of prisoners milling about, and it’s entirely surrounded by tall cement walls, with guards looking down on us. Not exactly an easy place to get out of.

We’ve been taking turns sharing what we’ve seen today. Corin has seen the most--he’s also been listening to other prisoner’s conversations and learning a lot that way. He’s annoyingly sensitive and emotional, but I have to admit he’s good at remembering things. Even with everything we’ve observed, though, it hardly seems to be enough to make a plan out of. Corin’s still very optimistic about the whole thing. I suspect he’s got a trick up his sleeve that he’s not telling us about.

I’m not certain I can trust anyone in this group. It would be easier and safer if I escaped on my own. Betrayal is harsh, but beneficial--and I needed that amulet back. The soldiers didn’t know it, but that amulet was the only thing keeping me from becoming a mindless slave. If I had to risk the other’s lives to get it, I would, without hesitation. 

Corin says we have only a week to escape. Supposedly, he’s going to be transferred in a week, transferred to somewhere terrible. He claims there’s a chance we could be going with him too. But he won’t give us any more details about it. Nobody is trustworthy, but Corin is by far the most suspicious. There’s something strange about him and I think abandoning him would be the safest option. 

Speirys, Gamgi, and Taurus are all at least loosely allied--I doubt they’ll betray each other, and they all seem to trust me to some degree. It would be easy for me to abandon them too, and I will if it’s beneficial--but they also seem willing to work with me, and I don’t think they’re dangerous. Taurus seems to be the most useful of the three. Gamgi appears to be grieving--I don’t know what’s wrong with her but I’m beginning to think she’s more of a liability than an asset.

And then there’s Speirys. I can’t decide how I feel about him. There’s something… different about him. I can’t figure out what it is, so for now, I’ll keep him around. He’s at least reasonably skilled, so I can’t imagine he’ll be too much of a weakness. 

The guards suddenly shout for us to head back inside and we’re herded into the building like animals. Gamgi and Taurus are separated from us once again as we head back to our cells. 

There's suddenly yelling from up ahead. Corin tries to see what's going on by standing on his toes. I can't see what's happening, either-- I push forwards through the crowd. The yelling gets louder.

Guards push the crowd back. They're also shouting something, but I can't hear what they're saying over the clamor. Speirys and Corin suddenly appear by my side--I guess they were also trying to get to the front of the crowd. I look around for Gamgi and Taurus, but they're already gone. 

~~~

Gamgi Kholodno~~

Corin, Aakash, and Speirys are gone.

I know it’ll be futile to search for them in a crowd this thick, and Taurus knows it, too. Instead, we do our best to figure out what’s happening. It’s nearly impossible with all the noise and confusion, but I hear whispers of a fight. Started by a guard or a prisoner, I have no idea. 

“Let’s get closer,” Taurus suggests. I nod in agreement, and we begin to push our way through the crowd. In the gaps between people, I can make out people moving--a guard is holding a knife to a human…ish...thing’s throat, and their...friend, I think, is fighting with another guard. From the vicious looks in their eyes, I assume they’re the instigators. I shiver--I think these two are common criminals, not Resistance agents. 

Something glittering and silver flies from the wolf-things hand. It lands amongst the prisoners. Without waiting for Taurus, I dive for it, pushing an elven prisoner to the ground. My hand closes around it before I even see what it is.

Loud swearing from the fight pulls attention away from me. Seems that the guards are looking for something the prisoners stole--no doubt whatever I picked up. I need to get out of here.

Taurus grabs my shoulder. “What in Claaws’s name did you just grab?”

I open my hand to reveal a small silver key. “I don’t know what it goes to. Probably not the main exit.”

“Yeah, well, no time to think about that,” Taurus says. “We need to get out of here before this turns into a bloodbath.” 

“ENOUGH.” The voice is loud and carries across the room. Ice curls over my bones and heart--metaphorically. Dread sinks into my gut. 

I turn, slowly.

There’s a man about as tall as me, with deathly pale skin and corpse-like features. His black hair falls to about his waist, and his left arm is made of steel. Literally. 

A badge on his uniform reads “WARDEN”.

“Guards, search all the prisoners. Kill whoever has the key.” My heart leaps into my throat. I’m not willing to throw away the key, but I’m sure as Hvumskuul not going to die today. I run through the crowd, my boots hitting the ground loudly.

“Get her!” a guard shouts. I start running faster. I have no idea if anyone is following me right now. 

I wish I knew the layout of this prison better--I take a right turn and seconds later I’m hopelessly lost. At least I can’t hear the guards anymore. The sound of my footsteps suddenly changes. I look down to see that the floor is now tile instead of concrete.

In front of me is a large steel door labelled “ADMINISTRATION.” I wonder if part of this prison functions as an actual military base. I skid to a stop before the door and desperately pull on the latch. It’s locked, naturally. I pull the key back out and examine it. I guess it couldn’t hurt to give it a shot.

The key slides in easily. I turn it, and to my surprise--

There’s a click.

I dash through the door and close it swiftly. It clunks loudly as it shuts and I cringe. I keep close to the wall, walking swiftly. Offices line the walls rather than cells. Thankfully it’s late enough that most of the actual soldiers are asleep, and there seems to be very few prison guards over here. I wonder how long I’ll be able to hide out here. Maybe I can escape, get help, then come back for the others. 

But first, I need a disguise. There seem to be bunkers in this section, so chances are, there’s a laundromat. I won’t be able to change my face, but a soldier’s uniform and a hairstyle change can probably do the trick. After all, the guards really haven’t seen me for long. And anyways, I’ve disguised myself before. This should be easy.

Luckily, I found the hypothetical laundromat only a few minutes later. It’s empty save for one soldier, who’s fallen deep asleep. There are two washing machines running, and if he can sleep to that I doubt my footsteps are going to wake him. I slowly open a machine that’s finished running its course, and pull out the uniform within. I take off my jumpsuit and slide the uniform over top of my tank top and shorts. It’s definitely a little small, but fits me well enough. I’m short for a Sanukan, so they’ll probably think I’m just a tall human. Maybe. Hopefully. 

Next for my hair. I don’t have any scissors or a knife to cut it with, but there is a hairband in this uniform’s pocket. I tie it into a tight bun. There’s a mirror on the wall of the laundromat--I think my disguise will keep me safe for the night. What I need to do is come up with a code name and a story. I hear a sigh from next to me, then a mumble. I turn to see that the sleeping soldier is awake now--he blinks a couple times, then stares at me. 

“Who are you?” He asks, standing suddenly.

“Whoa, whoa, no need to freak out or anything!” I say with a forced laugh. He narrows his eyes. “I’m Syntyche Fortune. I’m here from Spiaggia. Temporarily.”

His eyes remain narrowed. “Then why aren’t you reporting to the Warden?”

“Ah. I… couldn’t find him. And my uniform was dirty. So I...decided to clean it while I waited for him,” I say after a moment’s hesitation. “Actually. It would be, uh, great if you helped me find him.”

The soldier glances at the washing machine next to him. “I guess I have ten minutes to help you out. Come on, Fortune.”

I sigh in relief and follow him out of the room. Now, just to survive until I can find a way to help the others.

~~~~

Speirys~

My mind races as we're forced back into our cells. I have no idea what happened back there. It's no surprise we were separated from Gamgi and Taurus again, but it's still frustrating- we'll have to wait until tomorrow to figure out what happened back there and how it might affect our plans. 

I try to slow myself down. If I worry about tomorrow, I won't be able to get anything done right now. I pace around the cramped cell as much as I can, well aware of Ash watching me.

After a while, I stop and clap my hands together. "Corin, are you listening?"

"Yep," he says from the cell across from ours, moving as close as he can.

"Great. I want you to keep looking over the notes you took and add anything else you can think of, even if it doesn't seem important."

He nods, and I turn to Ash. "I need you to look around this cell. I'm not sure you'll find anything, but it's worth a shot. I'll ask the people in the neighboring cells some questions- maybe they'll work with us."

Ash gives a small and somewhat irritated nod and turns away from me. I take a look at my options. The person in the cell to my left looks very unfriendly and very capable of murder, but the person on my right could be promising. They have light brown skin, dark purple eyes, and a tattoo on their neck that I can't make out.

"Hey-" I start.

"Shhh," they reply. "Guard."

I move away from the bars of the cell while the guard passes by. I wait a few seconds after they're gone to resume.

"I memorized the guards' schedule. This guy is more observant, so keep your voice down," explains the purple-eyed person.

"Smart," I say. Why didn't I think of doing that?

They smirk. "I know. I'm Cyra. And you could use my help."

Through whispers and pauses as the guard passes by, I learn about Cyra and her plans. "I've been planning to break out for a while now. But I haven't been able to get the plan in motion. If you help me, we can all get out." They tell me about everything they've done to get to this point and what we can do for her. I tell her about the group that'll have to break out with us and the necessary pit-stop to get our possessions back. We talk out the big picture plans, then discuss what needs to get done for tomorrow. I thank her about a million times before going to talk to Corin and Ash.

"Nothing," Ash tells me, supplying no further explanation. 

"Are you sure?" I press.

"Yes," he says in a way that makes it seem my sister has competition for the person who finds me most annoying. I know trusting Ash blindly- especially with how much he seems to hate us all- is a terrible idea, but I want him to be on our side so badly. 

I sigh quietly and bring myself back to the conversation. I can worry about Ash later. "Corin, you got your notes all in order?"

"Yep!" he says. "We're looking good- there's plenty of good information here."

I'm glad to hear it. It's too dangerous now with the strict guard and the distance between them, but tomorrow morning Corin would share that information with our new friend. And when he was done, the plan would start- with some good old-fashioned spoon thievery. 

Corin~~

Howdy, I'm just going to jump on in here with my character! He is an young adult human male.

-Ester-

I watched as the gates swung open. I could barely see the top of them. Why was I so stupid as to get myself caught. Why didn't they stop me? 

"Walk." 

I got pushed forward and I fell on my knees.

"I said walk!" 

I quickly scrambled up to avoid getting slapped. again. My arms were uncofmortably tied behind my back which is unfortunate because hair kept falling in my face and I couldn't push it back. 

There's a man who watched us as we walked through the gates. He looked dead. I couldn't look away from the silver arm that he wore. I glanced up at his eyes, which were cold and black, and he stared right back at me. I quickly looked away.

I had no idea who I was being brought in with. I had gotten captured alone and I hoped that Quinsley and Stra'ath were okay. I hoped I would see them again.

We were in the cell area and oh my Kyngdom, there were so many prisoners. The guard I was following suddenly stoped and I ran into her. 

She turned around and I looked at the floor. "Turn around." 

I did. 

She untied my hands and opened a cell. Then she shoved me into it. I tripped and fell on my face.

She shut the cell door, locked it, then walked away without another word. 

I groaned and got up rubbing my shoulder and wrists. 

"Hey, are you okay?" 

I whiped my head around and see a guy with some paper in his hands. He is next my cell. He looked a little disoriented but honestly, we were in a prison so it was kind of expected

"Did you hear me? Hello? Are you okay?" he asked again

"Yea sorry" I responded, suprised by my voice. It's very hoarse and gravely. I tried to clear my throat, "Claaws, what is this?" I muttered under my breath. My voice was not clearing up.

"I'm Corin," The guy said

"I'm Ester," I respond. Before I can say anything else I begin coughing. 

"Oh, uh, you good?" Corin asks

I held up my hand in a "wait one second" manner until I stopped coughing which was pretty soon thank goodness. I ran a hand through my black hair, "sorry, I'm all good," I glance around.

Turns out that people are staring at me. Terrible start to whatever I've gotten myself into.