Little Brother's Roommate??

[Sage]

Sage hadn't realized he was broadcasting to Cain, in Moscow. The screen flicked back to Sage's avatar, then quickly switched a different camera view. There was something wrong when Sage thought people were looking through his eyes. Wrong... and creepy and ... he didn't want to think about it.

Sage answered both questions, Cain in Moscow and to Grim. "I'm okay. "
Then he looked at the camera and nodded he really was okay. There was no need for violence. Grim wasn't going to hurt him. He didn't think. Just betray him. The edges of his vision turned red again and Sage fought back the urge to panic at the color. He might have to make the warning flash some aweful color - puke green or something not caused by an emotion. Red may be danger but it was showing up far to quickly with his emotions.

Sage took a deep breath and asked Grim "What are you doing here?"


Grim looked back at him. "Sage, you sure you are alright?" His voice was full of concern. The body behind him had moved into view and he saw Sasha. The lovely Sasha... he smiled at her as she knelt down by his side.

Sage nodded. "I'm fine. Why are you here?"
Sage was looking at Sasha but it was Grim who he was talking to.

Sage turned his attention and looked out into Moscow. He frowned. "I'm sorry our visit got cut short. You don't need a front seat of the drama in my life. I'm okay. Sasha is here. He won't hurt me."


Sage noticed the emotions scrolling across the page. "That is memories, not Grim. Except the betrayal bit, but I gather you get that. Enjoy the pizza."


Sage made another digital order - a low grade, decent quality burner wallet in Cain's name billed to him. He wanted to keep tabs on the man. He had proven to be more interesting and more of a friend than expected. Before Sage parted he smiled. "A wallet will be delivered, don't throw it away. But if you don't want it, send it back."


Sage departed and felt almost empty without the stream of information coming back from Moscow. Sage turned his attention back to Grim who stood waiting patiently and Sasha was still kneeling next to him but not touching him. What did Grim want!


Edited by Sage, Aug 12 2016, 03:50 PM.

[Cain Belasis]

Cain felt a bit baffled, and bit foolish kneeling in front of a television, holding onto his magic without any way of using it. Sheepishly he released his grip on it, and listened to Phaser's apologies.

"That's alright mate. I'm glad I got to meet you." Oddly enough, he was telling the truth as well. As strange as Phaser was, and as strange as their meeting was, it had been mostly harmless and even helpful. The guy bought him food and even a wallet. Cain couldn't remember the last time someone had been so randomly kind to him. Nox was offering him a place to stay free of charge, but for Cain at least it felt different to interact with someone face to face. Maybe Phaser didn't need that in-person interaction with someone to feel connected, or perhaps he was just rich enough that it was easy for him to throw money around.

Before he could say anything else, Phaser's visage disappeared from the TV, and the screen went dark. Shaking his head, Cain moved to finish up the pizza (life had taught him the hard way never to waste food) before making motions towards the bathroom and shower within. It had certainly been a strange day. He'd had to tell Nox that he'd missed seeing Phaser.

[Nox]

First thing on the list of many things to do was to get real clothes on. He'd dressed up with the clothes he'd bought after the hunt - granted it wasn't much more than what wore regularly but still he felt uncomfortable with out a t-shirt on underneath the burgandy button down.

The hotel was crap, but it was affordable and better than staying at HQ where a little slip could wind up with him dead. This was much better.

Nox swiped the card and entered the room he was currently sharing with Cain. He hadn't seen him since the night he'd met him. The room looked used. A pizza box sat on the table and Nox was disappointed to see it was empty. He wasn't really hungry. Cain must have been in the bathroom everything else was quite normal appearing.

Nox found his bag undisturbed and pulled out a new red t-shirt and a clean hoodie and tossed the bag of dirty clothes next to the others - he'd have to do laundry soon. His wardrobe was few and far between and he wasn't in the mood to go shopping again. He hated shopping.

Nox removed the button down and pulled on the t-shirt and gray hoodie and was thankful to have the weight back on his shoulders instead of the thin fabric. Nox yelled through the door. "Hey. I got some things to do, you wanna tag along?


(( need to stop by Asha's before we hit Dorian's. It's important to change those locks. ))

[Cain Belasis]

((Sorry I misse this yesterday! Also for continuity reasons I think that this would be the next day? Nox stayed out all night so this post would take place the day after Cain's conversation with Phaser.))

Most people showered either at night or in the morning. Those people weren't semi-homeless who had been given access to unlimited clean water in which to shower. In short, Cain was happy as a clam. As he took his second shower in less than 24 hours, he hummed to himself. The redhead had slept well the night before. He hadn't taken the bed in case Nox came back, but the carpeted floor of the hotel room was far more comfortable than the concrete tunnels he normally slept on. Plus, he hasn't felt bad about nicking one of the pillows and a sheet from the bed.

Overall it'd been a great night: free pizza, nice (albeit weird) company, and good sleep. And taking another shower to feel minty fresh was a good start to the morning. Cain was a bit startled by Nox shouting through the door, but he's been essentially finished anyway. Plus it was good to get confirmation that the guy was still alive. Cain hadn't worried about him too much; the guy could clearly take care of himself. However, Nox's wellbeing had been something of a nagging thought.

When he dressed and exited the bathroom, Cain was pretty sure about what'd gone down. When a man stays out all night and comes back with a certain loose-limbed ease to him, there's one logical explanation. If Nox were any one of his mates back home, he'd give him a good ribbing. Cain didn't really know the guy well enough for that just yet, so he did his best to bite down on his grin.

"I'm assuming that the things you have to do today aren't like the things you had to do last night? You're nice enough on the eyes I s'ppose but I don't put out after the first date," the redhead said with a wink. Alright, the whole 'don't say anything about the obvious' plan was already a failure. Cain just couldn't resist the easy joke. Feeling merciful, Cain turned to rummage through his things and ignored Nox's reaction to the jibe.

"Yeah I'll tag along." Cain's eyes caught on the empty pizza box. "Oh! By the way, your friend Phaser popped in. Hacked the TV and chatted with me."

[Nox]

(( I didn't think it was the same day but forgot you'd still done the same day sorry for the multiple showers ))

Nox laughed at Cain's comment. He found it amusing that he had said same thing to Elyse in text messages while he'd been in Mexico. Nox turned and grinned at the other man. "Then you and I'd have a problem, cause I don't date."
At least that used to be the truth. Why the fuck am I doing this? Sure, Elyse was cute and fun and very good in bed, but dating? Shit!

But Nox didn't get to sulk in his thoughts for long as Cain told him of his visitor. Nox stopped dead in his tracks. Sage was still around, even after Aurora was gone. "You saw him? What did he want?"


Nox turned to the television and sighed inwardly. Sage.... Aurora's first. Annoyingly good friend of Aurora's afterwards - he was the reason he had mapping software, the reason why Aurora was working so hard on the search and helpful apps. It was Sage aka Phaser who helped and encouraged her. "I should probably find a way to talk to him."
He wanted that software back, it was at least a part of Aurora. And he was sure Sage had a few choice words for him. He knew he would.

[Cain Belasis]

Cain turned back to Nox when the man laughed and caught his grin. He also caught the brief moment of panic that flashed on the man's face after he said he didn't date. The redhead wanted to needle the guy a bit, ask if his overnight friend had been aware of that, but the conversation about Phaser sidetracked them.

"I don't think he'll be that hard to find, mate."
Cain followed Nox's gaze over towards the TV. "He only contacted me because he was wondering what I was doing in your hotel room. Says he keeps tabs on 'all of his friends'."
The last few words were said with a poor approximation of Phaser's American accent. It was almost comically nasally. "Also he apparently sent me a burner wallet. Prob'ly will get here in the next few days. Guess I'm one of his friends now. I bet if you leave a sign from him in front of a camera he'll get back to you eventually."


((Included the accent thing because it's hilarious and slightly insulting to hear British people try to do our accent.))

[Nox]

Nox rolled his eyes at the accent, he sounded nothing like Sage. Nox muttered mostly to himself. "You have no idea."
This time actually speaking to Cain "He's been following us since we were 16. He saw the worst day of my life."
His nightmares flashed before his eyes. The hellhounds in all their glory, seen by his naked eyes even though he knew in reality they only appeared to their marks. His mother had seen them. Their glowing red eyes, the smell of sulfur all around. Sage had watched through the cameras outside the hotel. Nox knew this because Sage had comforted Aurora the following nights.

Nox had still been numb. He'd watched his mother get torn apart and there was nothing he could do about it. Not a damned fucking thing.

Everything that he'd accomplished in the States came crashing back in. The guilt, the pain, the sorrow and the crushing loss. Nox took a deep breath and swallowed down the fear in his voices. "Sage is a little more difficult for me to get a hold of. A sign seems silly. When that burner comes in I'm sure he'll have an app already installed. He can't hack mine. Rather he won't hack mine. Just track it."


Nox sighed and looked around the room and just because it was possible Sage was listening. "I know you are listening, Sage. I need to talk to you. It's about Aurora."
That should be enough to get his attention if he was really listening. Nox felt the guilt of losing his sister sting his eyes. Sage was the last connection to his sister...

Nox pulled himself together. "Let's go. Got a shit ton to do today. First stop is most important."
Protecting Asha from Dane wasn't quiet as simple as changing the locks but it would make Nox feel a billion times better knowing Dane would have to at least break in to see Asha.

[Cain Belasis]

Cain decided that discretion was the better part of valor and neglected to mention that Phaser (or Sage, as Nox called him?) had shown him a video of Nox, perhaps that previously mentioned worst day of his life? The redhead didn't want to touch that one with a stick. He didn't exactly know the other man well enough to start inquiring about such touchy subjects.

The magician shrugged at Nox's insistence that a sign would be silly. It wasn't like they were in public or anything but that wasn't any of Cain's business. He wasn't the one that wanted to contact the hacker. He had to bite his lip to prevent himself from laughing when the other man then proceeded to talk to the empty room. Ah yes, much more dignified that leaving a sign.

Getting himself under control, Cain nodded to the other man. "Alright then, let's go off and get your errands done."
It wasn't like he had anything else to do with his time anyway. Besides maybe Nox would use more magic and he could pick up some tricks from the other man.

[Nox]

(( okay to make things line up a little we are going to be doing this on the day of the demonstration as that's where Asha and Elias are and fits timeline wise with Nox and Aria's plot lines and I get to react to something I've been dying to))

Nox was thankful that Cain didn't press anything as they left. Nox left the crossbow lying on next to his gear but grabbed the handguns and strapped them in place. He knew better than to be unprepared. He had the right paperwork. Every Atharim did.

Equipped with standard weapons just in case Nox headed out the door zipping the hoodie to cover the weapons. The moment the door opened Nox felt it. It had started out as a nagging feeling something distant but the hum of power grew in the distance. Nox turned towards the feeling of power. His eyes wide. There could only be one man on the planet that could wield that much power and Nox was missing the display.

The power was intoxicating and Nox pulled his own around him and savored the sensation as it enveloped him. "Fuck me!"
Nox whispered to himself. "Ascendancy."


Nox headed in the direction of the power heedless of what was going on around him. His sights were set on one thing and one thing only - the power of the gods! "Do you feel that?"
He asked Cain, only peripherally aware of his companion.


Edited by Nox, Aug 16 2016, 11:23 AM.

[Cain Belasis]

Cain's breath caught as he sensed what Nox had pointed out earlier. There was a menacing sensation, almost as if something much stronger and meaner than him was in front of him, glaring. Lord, was this the feeling of Ascendancy's magic? He'd thought that Nox and Dane were strong. They were far stronger than him anyway.

This though... If it were Ascendancy, they'd have to be feeling him from across the city. Cain doubted that any magician in the city would miss this. The man's power was overwhelming, far stronger than either of Cain's companions. Ascendancy made the redhead's magic seem like a newborn kitten in comparison. Was it any wonder that the man had conquered half the world? Power like this... Ascendancy was a god in living form.

"Yeah... It's incredible. Did you know that Ascendancy is a magician?"