What does your character think of the character a-

Reyna hadn't much of an opinion of Nathaniel, admittedly. She had seen him around -- perhaps more to speak to the head of the base and its other higher-ups -- and nor did she have much incentive to approach him. Until now. He was bigger up close, she realized, and more... beefy. He was a real giant sausage, this guy. Or fish. He was like a swordfish! Or something like that. She had never seen a swordfish before, only assuming they were half as fearsome-looking as Nathaniel was.

Why he was at the forge now, she had no clue. Weaponry, maybe, she thought simply. He seemed the type to keep an arsenal stashed somewhere, be it spears, harpoons, axes, and so on and so forth. Still, only an apprentice and forbidden from saying much, she tried to keep her interactions brief. It didn't matter how fascinating he was -- partly on a biological level, because what in the world were those gills -- for she was only a helper.

"They all say you are a sailor." the young woman mentioned, "Only the wealthy are sailors. Back home, that is. Nowhere to sail from Donatan, though." From the West Province, maybe. The beach was only a little ways from Laojin. "I can help you pick out a couple of things until Sir Vidales returns, and then he can take over for you. And while I do... what is it like to sail? ..Do you people really fight sea dragons? Evil tribes of mutated humans? Are you... mutated?"

“Miss Vidales…?” She thought for a moment, recalling the girl they had briefly met on one of their travels. “It’s a shame the kind of background she came from…I couldn’t imagine not having close ties to my own parents but I have to commend her positivity despite it.”

She crosses her legs, shaking her head at a passing thought. “And married away so young…I just cannot believe what she has gone through. You would never realize just from speaking to her so casually. Inquisitive young lady. I felt like I was being interviewed my whole visit.” Cali says, chuckling to herself. “Really, I would hate to ask her nearly as many questions as she seemed to ask me but her family has such a rich history, y’know?”

Ramondo takes a moment to observe Cali Gari from afar as she tends to a crew member's injury with her unique methods.

"Interesting, isn't it?" he remarks to a fellow Cardinal standing beside him.

"What do you mean, Ramondo?" the other Cardinal inquires.

"This Cali Gari," Ramondo replies, "she brings something old and seemingly outdated to the modern world, and yet she makes it work. It's admirable, in a way."

The other Cardinal looks skeptical. "But surely, her methods are not scientific or reliable," he says.

Ramondo shrugs. "Perhaps not in the way that we are accustomed to, but they have worked for many before. And let us not forget, the Church has always been rooted in tradition and ritual. Maybe there is something to be learned from her, after all."

The other Cardinal nods thoughtfully, considering Ramondo's words. "You may be right," he concedes. "Perhaps we should pay more attention to those who bring new perspectives to the table."

"Indeed. We cannot afford to become complacent in our ways, especially in these trying times. It is up to us to ensure the Church remains strong and relevant in the eyes of the people."

- I do apologize if this formatting is absolutely horrific, my laptop appears to be crafted from junkyard parts that cannot properly display this website's UI.-

Ciao grins, pinching a joint between her fingers. She's not sure what it was, but she just kept running into these "holy men", each one more interesting than the last. It's no surprise that she's keen to bring it up upon a visit with her own favorite priest; if not out of the irony of it all, then just to flaunt that her own priest at home wasn't quite as high-standing in the church as this guy was.

"Ehhh, nah, I didn't catch his name. Raymond, or something?" She mumbles casually, forcing the smoke in her throat up and out through her nostrils, "I was too interested in his outfit. He had some real elegant drip, y'know; if I got my hands on it, bet you now that I could resell it easy peasy." She cracks herself up thinking about a streetwear brand based on outfits from the Catholic Church.

Now Ciao leans back, spread laxly out across the pews. In thinking about her fleeting encounter with His Eminence, she didn't have any particularly strong feelings about him, because he wasn't very polarizing. He was moderate, a man of his faith, as it were, and Ciao found no reason to dislike him.. nor any reason to like him, either.

"He seemed like a hardass, that's for sure." She waves her hand, spreading the smell of weed around her like incense. "And kinda decrepit. But I guess I'd be pretty decrepit if I spent my whole life living in the big man's shadow." The big man being the very idea of the Pope, Ciao laughs to herself. 

"And he had these real scary nails, man. His hands kinda creeped me out. Whatcha need those claws for? Flipping through the Bible?" She laughs again, a distinct nya-ha-ha. Despite her less-than-flattering depiction of Ramondo, she seems to harbor no ill will toward him.

v HEHEHE OMG...... TWIRLS MY HAIR

yukio:

     Allegro stared at their joined hands as they walked towards the sunset, one that grew brighter and bigger with every step. More and more colors seemed to illuminate the sky the brighter the sunset got, it threatened to swallow them both whole. He chose to keep his focus on Haneul. The grim-- Ah, the emissary was calm and tranquil. There was indeed a grimness to his expression, but he could see more: he could see somberness just as there was stoicism, duty and responsibility. It was admirable, and some part of it gave him comfort, but there was a far more overwhelming dread that came with it.

     It was the dread of him only being able to see these emotions. Not hear them.

     To realize how dependent he'd been of his hearing was Allegro's last thought before passing away, and here it was again. He couldn't hear a single heartbeat. He didn't have one to hear, he wasn't sure if the same could be said for Haneul. If he had one, what would it sound like? A calm and reassuring beat? He tried to imagine it, but it kept boiling down to the thought: it's gone.

     Allegro staggered in his step and clamped his free hand over his mouth. There were some tears prickling his downcast eyes. Fear. Maybe it wasn't the sunset that was devouring, but fear. He had no one, his baton was gone, his abilities removed.
     "My apologies. I suppose I wasn't as ready as I thought for this new adventure-- or more, the clean slate it brought. It's... harder to swallow than I'd imagined." A shaky exhale. His hand squeezed Haneul's more for comfort than for reassurance, yet he smiled at the reaper. "Please, continue."

     His focus once again returned to Haneul. Calm as ever, with just a hint of some kind of warmth or sympathy. It was soothing-- he was soothing. Grim reaper truly was an incorrect term for him. Allegro was only sorry he had to see him in this state, and wondered just how strong he must be do handle situations and lost souls like this countlessly and for eternity. 

"I don't trust it". Despite the distance between the twins and Allegretto it was quite obvious they were talking about him as Hazel had a peeved look on her face. "C'mon sis, he doesn't seem that bad... He seems genuinely nice. He's not a tyrant or anything", replied Cal, also obviously staring at the young prince, though not as visibly upset as his sister. "I'm telling you, the nice ones are always the worst, especially when they appear this... perfect...!". Hazel crossed her arms and continued to rant. "He's got something to hide, nobles aren't to be trusted anyways.. Just a bunch of spoiled brats".
Calhoun couldn't help but sigh at his sisters persistent dislike for Allegretto and slightly rolled his eyes. "Which I agree with, usually... I don't know, he seems... alright. He doesn't appear fake like all the others. His friendliness seems.. authentic". The young man earned himself a harsh look by his sister. "First of all, when have you ever used the word authentic, nerd.. Second of all, that's exactly what they want you to think. He's just messing with your head. You probably just believe that shit cause you think he's hot...".

It wasn't clear if Calhoun's face became red out of embarrassment or anger. "Stop assuming that shit about me like I'm some dick-driven idiot! He's not even my type!".
"But you thought about if he was", countered Hazel immediately and raised her eyebrows at her brother. "As if you didn't think about it!".
"I don't have to, he's clearly not my type in any way", she replied almost arrogantly as if she didn't just contradict her own logic, driving her brother mad. He was used to it though and seemed to just let it go a few seconds later.
"I still think you're overreacting... It's not like he chose to be a prince, Haze", Cal tried to get back to their original topic. Both still weren't trying to be inconspicuous, even though Allegretto himself could probably hear them talking by now. "And I still think you're too soft and naive, bro... I'm convinced he got something to hide". 

"I think... you may be, um... Incorrect?"

Already, the robot is regretting it's choice of words, the fluttery lack of conviction behind them. Despite it's chrome and plastic-metal shell, eGor is soft, and it knows it. Hazel and Calhoun come from a long line of beasts. They relish in it- wear it with a cutthroat honor. Even now, eGor can't help but note the way the two tower over it's own form- making a show of their intimidation, especially that Hazel. It was designed to be cute, and small- but even then, eGor has enough access to it's original blueprints to know it was built to withstand a fight. It's not about who'd win, though. It's about the cost of starting a fight. For eGor display to fear, to display uncertainty will only mean they lose.

"Apologies, um. Allow me to rephrase, please?" 

Darn, still too polite. Maybe it should stomp, and spit on the ground? -No, can't spit. Don't have any mouth ooze. A small loading icon appears over it's screen, as it buffers- rethinking it's approach. Be calm, be still- If they value fearlessness, then be fearless. 

"....I do not fault you for your grief. I do not fault you for your anger. It is natural to fear outsiders, when they have been harsh, and when they have robbed you so deep you can never recover. Build your shelters, and keep them strong. You have a pack. That's wonderful! That's important. But..."
eGor trails off again. This is the part where it's own strength has to matter. "But I do not believe humans are bad. Please. Know that I am not human, and still, I make this judgement. You have evidence of cruelty, yes- and it is great. But... your sample size is small, when the whole of humankind is so mathematically significant. There may be good things waiting in what you fear. There is more data to be collected. You do not have to love humanity, or believe it is good, or even make room for it in your shelters- but..." When it stops speaking, it becomes aware of the current of it's own circuit. Has it spoken too much, been too direct? Leave these questions be for now. Persist.

"But you should at least not be afraid of it."

Valier tapped the small spoon against the rim of his cup. The infinitely rare sugar commodity is delicately poured into his afternoon root tea. He had realized the strange mechanical being was not one of the blood god's strange machines. Yet it was not a Kharadron or Electoral Collage experiment gone right...or wrong, depending on who you spoke to. He was in the latter camp; this thing was all wrong. Of course, he had just dispatched with the Maw of Magic, so the arrival of something he could never understand was suspicious. Maybe that's why it was wrong. Something was the cause for this wrongness he saw in this peaceful creature. 

With a squint, Valnier gave the machine another up and down. A soundless sigh escaped through his nostrils. Brow furrowing he spoke finally, "You SEEM innocent, without malice. But you must forgive my distrust and doubt that your existence is worth it. You seem kind which is valued, but even then your body reeks of a power that I cannot allow near me or anyone of real value. It would be best for both of us if you got away from me." His words as abruptly as they stopped. 

V GOD DAMNIT I LOVE THIS SO MUCH THANK YOU

ooc: hi valnier. i hope i understand what happened in his past like i think i do, but please correct me if i don't

rook would be a hypocrite to argue it isn't lucrative, or logical, to be so desperate to provide for your family that you would bend to a king. however, though currently a hypocrite, they have such little patience for the king's guard, even former, that they can't help but glare.

sure, they became what they are in the name of serving their family too, in this world there are few other options, but to willingly place yourself on the chess board of a person who considers himself most important? to line your own pockets with the money he steals from your family?

(rook, defensive by nature, ignores the fact that they too are currently being played like a fiddle by the "person who considers himself most important" of their own kingdom.)

nonetheless, rook attempts polite- valnier looks dour, much more haggard than the rest of the tavern's current patrons, as if he has known no peace in decades.

"you look tired," they deadpan. "i suppose that's to be expected when there is no relief from constant threat. such uncertainty would drive a man mad."

rook hopes very hard that at some point either the tavern keeper or jan will return and save them from this awkward, painful, and potentially offensive small talk; they are not skilled in this area. alas, the silence of an empty foyer persists. "it is admirable to want to protect your people. and your heart certainly seems to be in it, though, as i have heard, it seems you too have been played for a fool."

they consider, attempting to stave off delirious fumbling; their eyelids are too heavy for thought to come easily. "i can't imagine the grief of working so hard to protect something, and then you return to find your efforts have been futile."

they blink. well, perhaps they can. such a situation is not unheard of.

"and to have unknowingly had a hand in it." rook conspicuously lifts themself onto their heels, on the off chance they can see past the edge of the wall. they can't. "to be affected, yourself, by what you've wrought."

rook frowns. they needn't have even brought it up, but now that they have, they sigh and pull themself down from the counter. "perhaps i misunderstand. i apologize. i pray the chaos one day stills, and that you and your loved ones will know rest. things are never really that terrible here; i admit i know not your circumstance."

Sveth would be scared at first, knowing Rook's probably dangerous, and their attitude would probably make them afraid.
But despite all of this, Sveth, with their mostly laid-back personality, wouldn't mind Rook. Even more, would try to make Rook smile with stupid shit she does or just rambling about stuff that makes Sveth happy. Would introduce Rook to Lamarr, Sveth's cat, completely hiding the fact it's the same parasite as Sveth is.

"Oh, oh, you like koshki? Allow me to introduce my koshka!"

She wouldn't mind anything Rook says. If they need privacy, she walks away. She doesn't need to bother people. If they need company, she appears once again, with a lot of stuff to infodump.
She's pretty nice to Rook. Even if she heard they were a mercenary - which you don't tell to any rando you met, but probably.
(would be afraid of other mercenaries though)
Will try to be nice, over-all. Sveth would hide the fact about their true identity as a parasitic being not to startle Rook. 

Sveth would have been proof of something, if only Maribelle had known. The belief, firstly, that it was possible that she herself had things crawling within her. Time and time again, she considered looking deep within and pulling out the worms that she felt writhe in the depth of her rotten belly. It wasn't the same. It was still on her mind.

More tight-lipped than ever, she observed the other. Sveth had a cool, collected atmosphere that followed her, more comfortable than what the noblewoman was used to, previous moments aside. Clarity wasn't her strong suit, and especially now, Maribelle just... stared, her eyes half open, her lips slackened into not quite a frown, but certainly not a smile. Through the haze, she thought she felt fear, a human dread. She liked to think that after all this time, she had a good grasp on people, on their truths, what made them tick and what made them evil.

"..I don't trust you." she spoke monotonously, her dark eyes narrowed, "Something about you is strange. I can't deal with it, not anymore, not right now." There was a long pause, then, as if she were carefully weighing something else on her mind. Whatever it was, she kept it more to herself -- no doubt it would have been another show of her aforementioned distrust, followed up anyway by one more. "Besides, I don't want to be involved with another missing person's case. There are so many rumors. They're about a person like you. And I don't trust you. Live your life away from me."

She's scary.

The thundercloud around Raini's ears rumbles a bit. She wishes it didn't- the low hum calls attention to herself, and she would rather not have to engage with that frightening Maribelle so directly. Is that girl really a teenager? She's so tall, and looming. She's taller than most of the adults Raini knows- but she scowls like one all the same, judgemental and irritable and bitter. If Raini knew more, perhaps she could have found some common ground in a history of being sheltered- but, it's that very same sheltered nature keeping Raini away. Maribelle has all these sharp, hard edges to her- a kind of furious bitterness that Raini does not, can not understand. The idea of talking to her seems dangerous, somehow.

For all the ways that Raini's life is unfair, there is a distant knowledge that things can be much worse. She recognizes some of that fury in the scarred, and scared adults in her life- that one soldier, with all the roses comes to mind- But, they're adults. Raini is not meant to understand them, they're unmoving structures in Raini's world. Maribelle is... like her, but only enough to run from.

It's sad, actually. There are so few people around her age, back home. It would have been nice, to find a friend. Raini straightens her umbrella, and hurries along, not daring to say a word.

Wisp stares at the man who would probably be charming to others. Wisp is unphased though and knows there is more to him. His attracting spell does not work and them and it can't work on them. Their mate seems to agree with what is on Wisp's mind right now because of their glare. Everyone else stares at him with awe or jealousy. However Wisp and their mate look at him with suspicion. Sure their partner is a mafia don and they themself are their mates assistant but still this blond with blue eyes is very...strange. Others wouldn't look at the small details but Wisp and Dots do. They notice the fact that he has no pupils and his irises are a strange blue for a human to have naturally. Yes contacts are a thing but there's also a threatening aura around him that only creatures like themselves can notice. '...well thats decided...' Wisp mutters. Dots hears of course and asks what's decided. Wisp whispers their reply. 'We're gonna have to keep an eye on 'em...' They notice the man glance in their direction after saying that then look away.

🔻Wisp stares at the person who seems to be trying to spook them into showing their face. '...No. No I dont think I will cause for those who wear their mask, at least in my species, thats a private thing. Im not even able to force myself to smile and have it come out as one of my genuine ones. Oh also I've seen scarier then that. I've even seen scarier from my partner whos a crackhead in more than one way.' They step backwards with a peace sign then turn and walk away.