[IC] Bus buddy

Yovanni being on a bus was— well, it wasn't unexpected, but him actually riding the bus on the inside was definitely outside of their norm. But when needs must and all that. There was a lot of tunnels where they were headed, and it wouldn't do well to be injured on the way there. That besides, their patron had whispered an omen about seeing into the eyes of death and to avoid being spotted by their quarry so easily. The omen was especially vague this time around, but Yovanni didn't worry about it too much. He had a direction; he had a target. There was still a spirit he needed to banish before it grew too large. 

Besides, there was something novel about riding transportation the way it was supposed to be taken. Cloaking his appearance from mortal eyes as he rode atop their cars, buses, and trams had become so commonplace to him that he forgot what it was like to see the world on the "ground-level", so to speak. However, when he entered the bus, something was... different about this space. Heavier— no, vacuous. Completely devoid of anything. It felt like the meditative rooms back in the temple; it felt like the in-between of life and death as his spirit connected to the astral to deliver news to the gods. Yovanni canted their head sharply as they followed their instincts to the source where this emptiness was most dense.

That led them to drop down into a seat beside Haneul, and it almost felt like falling into a trance. Though Yovanni couldn't confirm the nature of this individual, he knew a vessel when he felt one. Whether this was the vessel of a mortal or of a god shaped into flesh, he couldn't say. He leaned back into his seat and tipped his head to look at the other passengers. Regardless of what Hanuel was or wasn't, no one else seemed to be too deeply affected. There was one person in the back who seemed a bit more sensitive than the others onboard, but such an affliction seemed minor among normal people. The worst she assume once she left the bus was that she felt unnaturally cold for her trip. He looked forward again at the seat in front of him.

"Don't look into the eyes of death," Yovanni said as if striking up a conversation. "Or perhaps I've exposed myself to my quarry." He tipped his head in Haneul's direction now. When he tapped the emblem on his hip, it felt ice cold and resonated with the same dense lack of energy he had been feeling thus far. He rolled his tongue along his bottom row of teeth before huffing a laugh. "Whichever it is, I'm sure things'll get mighty interesting."

Direction for np if you need it: You can go a couple of ways with Yovanni: the energy of someone having a conversation and you can slowly tell they're either not interested in you or perhaps even a bit too interested in you and/or your general oddities. (Feel free to do your own thing, though; sky's the limit. Have fun.)

VV Yovanni didn't budge an inch when he had a sudden seatmate, though he was glad it wasn't one of the other drunkards; there were a number of thoughts going on in his mind about his surroundings, but they were all background musings compared to what was coming up in the very near future. When he heard the offer of "Would you like one?", he perked up and gave a small smile to the other person (...person?) "Sure thing," he said, plucking up a sweet for himself. "Much obliged."

(Never take candy from strangers, and yet—!)

How fascinating buses were to royalty. This was the first time Allegro actually rode on one. The concept seemed fine and grand, but for someone like him, raised with private drivers... it left a lot to be desired.

He spent more time gazing out the large windows rather than making uncomfortable eye contact with all walks of life. The sight of the city moving with the bus's route was as fascinating as the vehicle itself. Then, something peculiar caught his interest more: a heartbeat. Something about this heartbeat was unordinary.

Heartbeat...s? 

Yes, it almost sounded like two separate heartbeats, but not quite. It was as if there was an echo of a heartbeat there, something almost mimicking what a normal one should sound like. It was too irresistible a concept for Allegro to ignore, and he turned his head to look at the guest sitting besides him. There was a young woman with the most sullen look on her face and one of her eyes covered. He could hear relaxation in her heartbeat, yet caution at the same time. She was on the run, and she'd done this for a while.

When the gaze was returned, the prince offered a smile. "It seems we're companions on this ride. My name is Allegro. Where might you be going?"

(Allegro would exactly be the type to talk nonstop so Ren can't get a chance to focus on keeping it together CACKLE)

The bus is packed to the brim. Altair's lips tighten into something reminiscent of a grimace- it was one thing to have to take the bus, but in these conditions, the harpist found himself wishing he'd arranged some other means of transportation. The man sways gently to the rhythm of the bus's bumpy movement, standing in the aisle with his hand gripping a pole. Occasionally, someone shuffles by him to get to the door, and he presses himself awkwardly into the edge of the aisle to make room. Sure, no one was interacting with him per se, but it was still no pleasant excursion for an introvert such as Altair.

"Turn around," says the insistent voice in his head. Altair doesn't move.

"I said turn around, you idiot. Why do you ignore me all the time?" Altair exhales.

"One day there's going to be something horrible behind you, and I'm not going to say anything. You'll deserve it." Altair grips the pole just a little bit tighter.

"I'm just going to keep bothering you until you--"

Casually, as if there weren't an ancient eldritch god in his head, Altair pivots. There's a man standing behind him. Frankly, he looks out of place- but then, so does Altair. He has a certain air about him, though, a sophistication that is echoed in his fairly prim outfit. He, too, grips one of the poles lining the bus aisle... and he doesn't look like he's feeling too well. Yes, like everything here he is swaying to the time of the bus... but there's a certain look on his face that Altair doesn't like. Motion sickness, maybe? He's quite pale... Altair isn't exactly looking to be thrown up on today. It'd be quite a while before he got anywhere to change his clothes...

He pretends he isn't looking at Ren, absentmindedly gazing out the window, but in his mind he concentrates. Maybe if he tried to perfect things, he could make the stranger feel a bit better? And so he focuses on the feeling of malaise emanating from the blonde stranger. Something dissipates- a flicker of energy, though Altair can't help but think that something feels different about it- and when he glances at Ren again, he seems to be doing alright. Not as pale, anyway. Inadvertently making eye contact, Altair's gaze settles on the burning blue of his irises. Right. He was staring. Altair cracks a faint, awkward smile, grasping at some way to resolve the situation. After all, in his mind, Ren had no idea what he'd done to him. Yes, surely this stranger thought that Altair was just staring at him for no reason...

"Sorry. You seemed... like you weren't doing so well, maybe? Are you feeling alright?"

Selene marveled at how much had changed since her time. Nowadays, people could hop on these contraptions called buses and reach their destinations with relative ease. Today, she was eager to experience public transportation firsthand. She had already consulted her dear Knight on the proper etiquette for such a journey. Moments felt like an eternity as she sat at the bus stop, anticipation building with each passing second. Then, like a beacon on the horizon, she spotted the approaching vehicle, its silhouette against the sky filling her with a sense of wonder. As it rolled to a stop, a hiss escaped its inner workings, almost as if it were exhaling in preparation for her arrival. With a flutter of excitement, Selene stepped aboard, the doors parting like a welcoming gesture from an old friend. Surveying the interior, she found most seats occupied, save for one lone spot beckoning to her.

As she passed the other passengers, she couldn't help but notice their curious glances and hushed conversations, which were clearly about her. However, their interest didn't faze her in the slightest; if anything, she found it rather amusing. Although, one word in particular caught her attention amidst the whispers: "cosplay." It rang a bell, a term she vaguely recalled her Knight mentioning once before. She made a mental note to inquire about it later, once she returned. Upon finally reaching her seat, Selene greeted her fellow passenger with a friendly wave before settling into the seat beside him.

Initially, Selene attempted to divert her attention from her fellow passenger, but the oddities about him proved too intriguing to ignore. He seemed human, yet there was an unmistakable otherness about him, something both familiar and utterly unknown to her. Selene briefly pondered about his nature, but quickly dismissed the thought, realizing it was not her place to pry. She firmly believed that all beings had a right to coexist peacefully, as long as they didn't threaten to destroy the world’s order.

Content in this belief, Selene decided not to dwell on the stranger's odd presence. If any trouble arose, she could always rely on the small device her Knight had given her, a "phone," to summon his assistance. Yet, for now, she found solace in the rhythmic hum of the bus's mechanisms and the gentle sway of its motion. It was oddly soothing, as if the bus itself were persuading her to indulge in a brief nap.

NP: She snoozes a lot, so she often misses her stop. Also, she cannot speak any modern language 'cuz she comes from a really different time, so she communicates with gestures, only resorting to telepathically communicating if she really needs to. 

(If you're not interested in her, feel free to reply to my other bbs! :>)