You decide to spend the day with Emma outside of the Academy, regardless of your internal deliberation. You drift in and out of bars and restaurants, both of you spending your money equally. You both experiment with your affection for one another, happily. The night finds the two of you sharing the same bed, a high that any drug in this world could never provide you. At first, you were concerned you couldn't truly reciprocate her affection, but today proves that was an unfounded worry. You don't remember ever feeling like this about anyone.
You fall asleep with her holding you close murmuring softly to you, gently informing you that she doesn't mind the boundary or your secret, "Sleep well, my [demon]."
For once, it doesn't make you bristle to be called that.
[3][2/1d4][19]
The worlds change, but the battlefield is always there. Through ice and magma, smoke and brimstone, you fight on. There's a brother at your side, happily laughing as the two of you bring death upon your foes. The rifle feels good in your hands, the bloodlust freeing your mind from the shackles of nihilism that consume your down-time. Freeing you from the cold embrace of the too empty halls of your home. Here, there is change. Here, there is freedom.
Blood. There's so much blood. No one should bleed that much. His face twisted into a rictus of death as a silvery entity rips great shreds from his body. It drops his corpse with a sickening crunch, stepping on it with twisting, writhing claws, sending more of his blood splattering out across the cold metal.
You run, and it chases you--
Emma is pulling you closer, awakening you from the old nightmare. You feel her concern, and you nuzzle back into her in silence. She drifts back to sleep. You do not. Laying in bed and staring at the ceiling, you wait for morning to come like you always do, well-rested on just a few short hours of sleep.
You pretend to sleep when Emma awakens for her morning duties, only lifting yourself from the bed once she politely knocks on your door and calls your name. The routine is comforting. The thought of leaving the Academy to study what you can do once more comes up, and when Emma approaches you, you subtly hint that you have something to do. She's crestfallen but accepting, giving you a kiss and making plans with friends.
[-]The Library isn't quite open yet, but no one resents a Scholar for studying first thing in the morning, so you find it unlocked. You search the index for your...the name, but find nothing. A Book of Angels is your next bet, and you skim through the listings.
Mcreary
McEntire
Node
Crusader of Peace
Tyler
Micheal
Wortsmith
You find nothing after searching for hours, the naming pattern not even close to matching 'Alphira'. The complete list of [demons] is the same, even the Barons of Steel don't have quite the same pattern, having far too many letters and numbers to remember.
Feeling frustrated, you take yourself to the track. With a soft breath and a borrowed watch, you sprint the mile as quickly as possible, coming to the finish line at a low six minutes. You feel no sense of exertion and catch your breath easily. Then, you do a two-mile sprint, and clock about the same average time for each lap. That's a little more difficult.
Then you focus, trying to use the same force that you use to heal yourself, a concentration of will.
[19] The two-mile feels easier, your muscles not even burning with exertion this time. On a whim, you keep the same pace, deciding to sprint as long as you can, as fast as you can. Your time doesn't improve, but your endurance does. It takes ten miles around the track at the same fast-paced sprint, before you even begin to feel the slightest fatigue start to build in your legs and chest. After the fifteenth mile, you begin to slow, starting to ache.
[18]You decide to stop after sprinting twenty miles around the track. You've been running at a full sprint for two hours, and only now do you take labored breaths, your legs feeling weak and chest aching to your satisfaction. You catch your breath on a bench, dripping with sweat. You realize you smell horrible, like cheap [pickles] and head to the showers for a quick wash-up and to clean your sweat-drenched clothes.
One and a half more days of complete freedom.
You are Pheobe͚͇ ̵̳͖͙͓͔̖͜A҉͠͏͖l̷͈̪̭̥̪ ҉̺̠̗̮̣͖̞G͏̶̜̻͕̫̮ainer.
Local Time: 1:00 pm 1/5/2010
You are hungry.
In pocket:
A stained mesh of grey kevlar. Over Body:
A grey, armored duster, marked with symbols. Torso:
A new, fitted grey shirt with long, tight sleeves. (hidden)
Lower Body:
Grey semi-formal, military style pants.Hands:
A pair of leather gloves. Feet:
Woolen socks(hidden)
Feet:
A pair of fur-trimmed leather boots.
In Holster: A clean, grey las-pistol 240/250
In coat pocket: Two 'Ballistic' Auto-Syringes, a reusable flaregun with one flare.
[1.2 credits] in local bills
Overload: Amateur.
Healing Factor: Beginner.
You are under contract with The Brotherhood of Scholars for twenty-four years. Grandmother(adopted): Mother Nicole Gainer, (Cordial),
--Contactable through Mail, Tyler Hop
--High Influence with Scholars, Crusaders, the Thornton Family
--Current lawful ruler of Steelworks 9 Region (Crusader Supported)
Organization: The Thornton Family
--Contactable through Mail, Emma
--High Influence within Steelworks 9 Region
--Allied with Nicole Gainer, you
Contact, Threat: William Thornton
--Contactable through Mail, Emma
--High influence within The Thornton Family
--Feared within Steelworks 9 Region
--Allied with Nicole Gainer, you
Contact, Military Trainer: Tyler Hop (Cordial)
Girlfriend: Emma Thornton (Happy)
--Low influence within The Thornton Family
Schoolyard clique:
--6 young men and women, of intelligence (respectful, friendly)
--3 young men and women, of strength (respectful, friendly)