ꜱ1ᴇ3　　races

@✠　Thorn Umber The poor thing did seem to be struggling. Basil let his eyes drift from the kitsune for a few moments, glancing around the laid out area for the races for a quiet place to sit with the overwhelmed creature. After spotting a sheltered area a little further down, with only a few people hanging around, the dragon pointed, his gaze returning to Thorn as he signed again. ‘Over there? Should be less noise over there. Do you have your headphones with you?’ He recalled one of their conversations online about noise cancelling headphones. While an ideal space would be somewhere entirely away from the noise for Thorn’s senses to have some rest, with the amount of people attending he wasn’t sure if such a place would exist.

Pratu stood amidst the crowd of her teammates, trying to avoid doing too much than necessary for the event. Yes, she was annoyed that her team had lost the other round, but why would she care? Unless the prize was money, she didn't want it. Plus, it was so hot out. She would quite literally die or pass out and then burn to death. Her nervous eyes flickered towards the sky that was gradually dimming and then down at the high heels she chose to wear to the event. She was extra prepared to /not/ participate. Just as she was about to slip away, she felt a hand on her arm which pulled at her and spit her out of the group and into the front of the group. "Next!"
The novice vampire looked around frantically, her heart picking up speed. "No, no!" She whined as she was pushed towards the starting line. Pratu was about to throw a fit then and there before she heart a loud 'bang' signaling the start of the race. "Ugh. it." She quickly tied her hair back and unstrapped her heels, throwing it to the side before grabbing a random horse and hopping on. "I'm borrowing this for a second." She mumbled, eyes trained on the finish line just ways away, ignoring the protest from the other contestant. And without further discussion, the door to hell charged forward.

@♆　Basil Now that Thorn thought about it, it was kind of a blessing that Basil didn't need noise to communicate. All he needed was hand gestures. He wasn't adding to the noise that was assaulting Thorn's ears from all sides. "Um..." He looked around, eyes flitting around quite quickly. Swallowing thickly, Thorn covered his ears with his hands again, looking at Basil but not able to make full eye contact with him. Thorn was only glancing up enough to see if Basil would tell him anything. "Please? Too noisy noisy. Cannot think. Too much noise, too much too much. Hurts."

@✠　Thorn Umber Basil didn't mind racing. Horses hated him, he didn't even want to get started with how chariot racing would go if he was made to do it, but regular running races - count him in. He was quite happy for them. Basil was fairly quick on his feet. He had to be, of course. He was watching the races and preparation through content eyes. It was nice to be outside. Basil could quite easily spend days in his room in his own company, but even the dragon needed some kind of contact with the outside world from time to time. That being said, he found he didn't mind the noise, the chaos surrounding the whole event.

It was only when he felt a weight bump into his side that he span, his lip instinctively curling to give the intruder a fierce glare. When his eyes fell upon the familiar sight of the little fox he'd befriended, the look faded in an instant, replaced by a light smile of greeting. The little fox didn't seem to be doing well, so with a blink, the dragon shook his head, hands raising to answer in the way it was easiest for him to. It was good to meet someone he could communicate with ease with. Nonetheless, while Thorn seemed quite overwhelmed, he let his gestures be more slow. 'Hello Thorn, it's okay. Do you want to sit down for a minute?'

@♆　Basil Too much. That was the only thing Thorn could think about as he sat down in a chair, pale blue eyes flitting from one end of the event field to the other. Too much noise, too many people, too many smells, too much too much. Thorn had to clamp his hands over his ears a couple of times to calm himself down, trying to focus only on his breathing like Arthur had taught him. "Masking" or whatever Arthur had called it was nearly impossible with this much stimulation. Around other people he could stop himself from fluttering his hands or twitching his head back and forth, but not now. Arthur had also told him that he shouldn't feel the need to mask, that whatever went on in his head was perfectly fine and his body was allowed to react to it. But he didn't like when people stared at him for it.

Thorn got up, rushing across the field and cloaking himself from people's eyes by pulling an illusion down over himself like a weighted blanket. His hands were at his sides fluttering like a butterfly's wings, and his eyes were wide and wild. He just needed to leave, to get out. But before he noticed, someone was in his path. Thorn bumped into them and stumbled, the veil of his hallucination melting away. He rubbed at his head and looked up, seeing a familiar dragon. "Oh," he said quietly, unable to keep eye contact for long with his brain too full of noise. "Sorry sorry, Basil. Was not looking." He glanced up, waiting for the male's reply, knowing he could only use sign language.

@♆　Kallistae Vitriya Valor wanted to laugh when Kallistae reached for a knife. It wouldn't have done anything. Wooden stakes were the only thing capable of putting him out of commission besides fire. A knife wound would have been annoying at best. The vampire stared at her evenly as she cursed him out, not really caring since he didn't speak Mer, anyway. He might have overreacted, but probably not; Kallistae was not injured. If anything, she was angrier than before. But it had been her own fault. Everyone had a breaking point, and Valor's was when someone threatened his beloved. It was the only thing that could draw out the monster, the demon from within him. Valor was a perfect gentleman, after all. But being gentlemanly didn't work with people like the Mer. She was spiteful and needed to learn what forgiveness was, in the vampire's opinion.

As he watched the Mer turn and stomp away from him, he fixed his cufflinks then checked to make sure his jacket was straight. He smiled ever so slightly at the Mer and bowed his front half. Across the field, he met Kivari's worried gaze, but the vampire merely smiled in assurance and shook his head. Valor wondered if Kallistae would tell her brother or if she'd be too ashamed. She had started the fight, after all. Valor had been out performing her thus far and she had no reason to be as annoyed at him as she did. She probably just hated to hate. Childish, the vampire thought with a disappointed sigh before heading to the stables to attend to his horse.

@✧　Valor Rosewain ↳ ᴀᴜɢᴜsᴛ 03, 2051
↳ ɴᴏᴡ ᴘʟᴀʏɪɴɢ: close your eyes - kim petras

When she decided to push for a reaction from Valor, Kallistae had gravely miscalculated. This she gathered when the vampire grabbed her by her hair, her hand flying to a knife strapped to the inside of her waistband. She wanted to stab him, but it was probably a bad idea. No, it was definitely a bad idea. Stabbing him would have consequences and Kallistae didn't want to have to deal with those. So instead, the Mer hissed and spat curses at him in the Mer language, her eyes narrowed from pain and from hatred.

Maybe she shouldn't have poked at Kivari, but Kallistae wasn't afraid of some vampire. She stumbled away from him and caught herself, tossing her hair back haughtily as she fixed Valor with another death glare. There was no way she was going to let herself appear ruffled or unsettled by someone like the idiot in front of her, even if he was threatening to kill her if she messed with Kivari. Kallistae would like to see him try. Even if he succeeded in killing her, Akaedi would just rip him to shreds and then what good would he be? None. They wouldn't even be able to feed his body to the fish.

"You go yourself," she snapped, unable to bear not having the last word. Then she turned and stomped away, mood foul and looking for someone else's day to ruin.

@♆　Kallistae Vitriya Valor sighed. Of course it didn't make her feel better. He should have known better; last time he tried this in a bar in Southwark when he was still human, a group of men had decided to beat him a breath away from death. And judging by the Mer's tone and expression, she wanted to bring him right back to that spot. What was worse, her eyes made their way to Kivari.

Valor was a pacifist. He did not believe in violence. Violence was stupid and he'd been a victim of it far too many times. But when it came to Kivari, things were different. No one, and he meant /no one/ would touch a hair on his phoenix's head. In a blur of movement Valor had gone close to the Mer. His eyes were too pools of molten lava, and he had a fistful of her hair in a vicelike grip. He smiled at her, the same sugary sweet smile she'd given him, except his showed two perfectly pointy canines on either side of his mouth. "Do it," he said, voice low and sweet, "and I will show you what true pain feels like. I will take you to the very depths of purgatory and give you a guided tour. I've never tasted Mer blood. I'm sure it tastes like salt and tilapia, but I'd be willing to drink you down to an inch of your life if you even dare breathe in his direction. Va te faire chier, sale gosse," he hissed before pushing her away from him--and /hard/. Valor, despite his docile nature, was still one of the strongest and fastest creatures in the arena, after all.

@✧　Valor Rosewain ↳ ᴀᴜɢᴜsᴛ 03, 2051
↳ ɴᴏᴡ ᴘʟᴀʏɪɴɢ: oh no! - marina

Furious, Kallistae spent a moment speechless, staring incredulously at the vampire. She wanted to claw his eyes out again, but that was considered maiming and Akaedi wouldn't be happy with her at all if she got disqualified from the games and arrested for attacking Valor. Still, the mermaid refused to give up. She had committed herself to getting a reaction out of him, and she was /going/ to get a reaction. One way or another. Which meant she had to rely on something else... not targeting him, because he wasn't giving her satisfactory reactions to that. She'd just have to target the soft spot which was phoenix-sized and reeked of smoke.

"No, that didn't make me feel better," she replied, her expression schooled back into a smile as she tucked her bob back behind her ears. She glanced over her shoulder at the gathering of the pink team's players on the other side of the field, quickly picking the fire chicken out. He was talking to one of his teammates. Akaedi was nowhere to be seen. "But I think I know what will," Kallistae continued cheerfully, "after all, only killing and maiming are banned, right?" She'd read the rules several times. Akaedi had made her. Probably because he knew she'd be tempted to hurt somebody.

"So in that case," the mermaid prattled on, "if I were to, say, go to the other side of the field and stick someone's head in their own water cooler I couldn't be disqualified because it's not killing or maiming and therefore I'm not breaking the rules. There's one thing I could do to keep myself entertained. Drowning people is always fun, even when I have to let them survive afterward."

@♆　Kallistae Vitriya Valor hummed softly with a nod. He didn't grow up with siblings, but he had a few cousins who reminded him of Kallistae. Those cousins were long dead and had already turned to dust, but the last time he'd seen them they had been around six, and their maturity levels were about the same as the Mer's, though he'd argue his cousins had a wider vocabulary. "Was I telling you what to do, petit poisson? I was merely making a suggestion on how better to communicate with me and possibly our other teammates. Didn't you /want/ me to be a team player?" His eyes met hers, though now his were hardened amber, though his expression remained cool.

Valor didn't even lift his head to watch her. He could hear her footsteps, hear her filling a cup with water. Perhaps she had taken his suggestion after all, but he doubted this would be the end of her or her childish antics. She was reminding him more and more of the kids who used to bully him at the private Catholic school he attended in London. Always calling him names, always trying to put him down. Nothing had really changed, he thought with a bitter smile. The slurs change, but the malice behind them never did. Valor was just about to get up and attend to his horse when he heard Kallistae approaching again, the thrum of her heartbeat as familiar as a mosquito flying too close to his ear.

He barely had time to lift his head before the cool water met his skin. The temperature didn't bother the vampire, but he still sighed as he felt the liquid drip from his face. Valor calmly reached into his coat to pull out a handkerchief from the inner pocket, his initials and Rosewain family crest embroidered on it. He dabbed at his porcelain skin and then at his suit, a bit miffed that the velvet had gotten wet. If it wrinkled, it would be bothersome. Crush velvet was impossible to iron without a specialized mat. Topaz gaze lifting, Valor wiped at his white hair. "Did that make you feel better?" he asked. A whirl of insults and ideas on retaliation had gone through his head, spinning round and round like a twister, but he ignored them. To him, Kallistae was one more bully who hated him for one reason or another. She likely had nothing against his mixed ethnicity, nor his uality. It was only because he had stood up for his partner that she didn't like him. It was ridiculous, really. But bullies generally only ever looked for a reaction. And Valor would not give her one.

@✧　Valor Rosewain ↳ ᴀᴜɢᴜsᴛ 03, 2051
↳ ɴᴏᴡ ᴘʟᴀʏɪɴɢ: really don't like u - tove lo

Kallistae sneered. "Old bloodsucker." Really, they weren't that far apart in age, but the difference in their maturity levels was quite obvious. Kallistae behaved like a child and Valor just acted like a stuffy old mummy who would turn to dust if he ever dared to try to have /fun/ or stopped ruining things for everyone else. The mermaid's face turned red with rage as the vampire coolly destroyed her insult, not rising to the bait of her words. She scowled, and crossed her arms over her chest. "Don't tell me what to do!" she snapped. "You're not my brother and I don't have to listen to you."

Kallistae rolled her eyes. "I'll show you positive reinforcement," she hissed, taking another step toward him. A flash of movement caught her eye from her peripheral vision, and she twisted to see Avra had stopped for a water break. Maybe he'd have ideas on how to terrorize than this bump on a log. "Or I would, but I have better things to do." She her heel and flounced angrily to the water coolers, grabbing a cup on her way. Before she could even ask Avra, an idea had already formed in her head. Smiling to herself, Kallistae drank half the cup and then refilled it, walking back over to where she had left Valor sitting.

"Getting a drink of water really did help," she said sweetly, her smile dripping with sugar.

And then she proceeded to throw the cold water in his face.

@♆　Kallistae Vitriya A pause. And then a small smile graced Valor's calm expression. He lifted his riding crop in his hands, sliding the smooth wood over in his hands. In Valor's opinion, Kallistae had unresolved anger issues. She must be very bored to still be this angry at him, after all. The vampire saw Kallistae as a child who had not been properly punished as a child and therefore lacked self control or emotion management. Akaedi, at least, was civil with him. It seemed as though he had spoiled his sister, though. And now as Valor eyed the crop in his hands, he could only thing of one thing: spare the rod, spoil the child.

"If you must know, Miss Vitriya, I am quite adept at horseback riding. It was custom for young men to learn the sport when I was growing up." Valor sat back, crossing one long leg over the other and meeting the Mer's gaze evenly. "As for the 'useless' part, I would hold my tongue. I believe I outscored both you and your brother in archery yesterday, and today's races are all land-based. Perhaps the one with no control over their fins is you. I haven't been allowed to compete in foot racing today, as my species grants me speed that surpasses most others and it would be unfair. So perhaps you should go get a drink of water and worry about your own performance today, petit poisson. Glaring at me won't do you any good, nor will it improve my performance."

Valor twirled the crop in his hand. "Also. For future reference, I respond better to positive reinforcement than I do to schoolyard insults."

@✧　Valor Rosewain ↳ ᴀᴜɢᴜsᴛ 03, 2051
↳ ɴᴏᴡ ᴘʟᴀʏɪɴɢ: why stop now - chase atlantic

In Kallistae Vitriya's opinion, and her exact words when she had complained to her brother about it, it was very ing ridiculous that Kivari got to be on the same team as Akaedi and Kallistae was stuck on a team with the phoenix's bump on a log of a boyfriend who acted like he was capable of doing something to the Mer whenever they drowned Kivari for burning everything. You know, like a //, because he couldn't handle a little bit of flame. Whatever. Anyway, it was stupid and Kallistae had spent the first two days of their games imagining tearing out his eyes.

But now Kallistae was out of the 'imagine physical mutilation' phase and just in the plain sour phase of despising someone she was forced to be around. Her feet dragged her to the vampire she was currently angry over, determined to absolutely ruin her day. And if verbally attacking him wouldn't do that, well, Kivari was a glaring weak spot for him. Kallistae still wanted to drown them both, but Valor especially.

"Are you going to fail at this game too like a fresh hatchling with no control over your fins?" she demanded, when she came to a stop in front of him. Stupid calm vampire with his stupid fancy velvet clothes. He looked ridiculous. Dressing like that wouldn't make him perform better. Kallistae wondered if he was trying to impress his equally ridiculous boyfriend. "Really, I can't believe I'm stuck on a team with someone so useless."

@♆　Kallistae Vitriya ⤿ now playing: Vivaldi Chamber Concerto in D Minor

Valor had been very much a babe in the woods during these games. He had never been particularly athletic, and even with all of his enhanced strength, perception, and agility that his vampirism gave him, he still found himself struggling against both his teammates and opponents. Today's event he had some confidence in. All young men were taught horseback riding where he grew up and the vampire had the slightest whisper of confidence about him. Though really, Valor always held his head high and kept his shoulders and back perfectly straight and upright.

Valor was also quite sad he and Kivari weren't on the same team. He still talked to his lover, but they didn't get much time together. His teammates were mostly strangers, save a few familiar faces. And even though they were familiar, they were not friendly. The Mer, in particular, were people Valor was avoiding. He still had not forgiven them for constantly drowning Kivari, despite the vampire telling the phoenix otherwise. So instead Valor had taken to ignoring them save the barest acknowledgement and cooperation.

But as he saw one of the female Mer coming towards him with a frown on her pretty face, Valor sighed. It seemed she was not the least bit interested in playing along and ignoring the vampire back. So Valor calmly fixed his white satin gloves, tucking the ends underneath the bottom of his blue velvet riding jacket. "Yes, Miss Vitriya?" he asked calmly once she was in front of him, tone even.