Re: Industrious Times [IO, NK]

Sat Feb 18, 2023 8:17 pm

As Isaribi headed off, Baliquis was more than happy to follow after her. After all she didn’t know her way to this flower park that Isa mentioned even if the map had show her- she meant she didnt know how to get there by heart or even the way to the tram station, so she walked along side Isa as they made their way towards the first part of their destination.

As they to to the station housing the strange metallic device, she got on and looked around at how gloriously shitty it was, and she looked at the seats: long past new, but not quite threadbare. They were worn but not ripped, and the remaining outlines of stains were ‘cleaned up.’ Baliquis couldn’t help but find herself grossed out, so she looked around to see fastened loops of cloth along metal beams within the tram. She moved to one near Isaribi and paused to wrap one of her sleeve around her hand before grabbing onto it so that the sleeve protected he rhand from -wherever this had been.

As they got on, Isa pulled up the loose sleeve on her left bicep and just above the mangled stump that was what remained of her arm were a variety of tattoos. Had she had those the entire time, and Baliquis just hadn’t noticed them? Or where they one of the things that she didn’t witness before when they first met? She wanted ot know where she got them, how she got them, what led to them- everything about them. Did it hurt to get them? What did it feel like when the needle pierced her skin? Did it feel exhilarating, or was it tense?

“Well, I’m golad you’re having fun, at least.” Isa said before grabbing a hanging strap as well with her good hand, “For me? The day’s only just started. Food’ll be fine. I put it in the fridge, remember?” Isa said, and Bali smiled politely,

“I remember, but I…do not know how to cook, so learning if it will keep or not is new information to me.” Baliquis admitted, “You have such interesting tattoos. Can you tell me about them to pass the time?” She asked but then mentioned, “Unless, of course you have questions for me.”

Post Word Count

380

Total Word Count

5,589

Tagged

@Isaribi

Wed Feb 22, 2023 7:52 am

Uh, wow. Kind of a personal question. Isaribi frowned slightly, though not in an unfriendly way, and tried to remember what was on her bicep without pulling up the sleeve again. Her memory having failed her, she gave Baliquis a little bit of a sheepish look before having a quick glance around the tram car, ensuring that there was nobody from a previously rival gang around. Her chakra senses stretched out as well, checking to make sure that nobody other than the two of them were any kind of threat on the car, just in case. It never hurt to have a look around, in a manner of speaking.

"Alright, look." Isa pulled up her sleeve again and indicated the maw of a snarling wolf with her index finger. "Them's the Jaws. You know the ones, right? Lets people know who I stand with." Or rather stood with, but Baliquis was smart enough to know that without needing an explanation. Next, she pointed at a character that stood out against the fur of the wolf's mane, as it cascaded over her skin. "Number four. Tells 'em where I'm from, you know? Where my folks are from and all that." It was difficult to explain, and she wasn't making it easy for herself. She tried again. "Where I was born is important. Not really sure I know how to explain why, but it matters." That would have to do for now. Next, she moved on to a wonderfully done phoenix head, lunging upward from the wolf, its beak open and its fire bleeding a red down toward her stump. "Uh, personal flair, that one. Had it done in-house." And it had cost a bit, too. To them, the phoenix was about pain, and vengeance, and rage and hate. Nowadays, it felt more like a warning, though she didn't really regret getting it.

Isaribi moved over to the upper half of a horrifically long, tall, faceless figure as she turned her mutilated bicep over. On the other side were mostly things that represented deeds that she'd done for the Jaws (in other words, crimes of varying severity) and people she'd run with. Uh, better not to tell Baliquis about those, perhaps.

"This one, though, the long, faceless guy? That's the Gaunt." Isaribi pulled her sleeve back down as the tram neared its destination. "Uh, guess it kinda tells people what I do. What I specialize in." Stealth, intimidation, manipulation, control, illusions, covert ops. The stuff they really wanted to keep under wraps. With a skillset like hers, it was little wonder, too.

[WC 430]

Mon Feb 27, 2023 7:28 pm

As Baliquis politely waited in the silence, she internally and anxiously wondered if she had done too much. Had that been too forward of a question? Bali didn’t think so, but she was now used to her own bluntness and abruptness. Even the slight frown from Isaribi put seemed to validate this, and then the younger woman gave her a sheepish look. However, the woman looked around the area before speaking,

“Alright, look.” Then pulled up her sleeve again and used her index finger to point out a snarling wolf’s jaws, “Them’s the Jaws. You know the ones, right? Lets people know who I stand with.” Next, she pointed at a character that stood out against the fur of the wolf’s mane that seemed to mean something, but Isaribi advised of that, “Number four. Tells ’em where I’m from, you know? Where my folks are from and all that.” She paused, then added to that notion, “Where I was born is important. Not really sure I know how to explain why, but it matters.” Then she went and pointed out a very well-made phoenix that seemed to be rising from the wolf’s fur towards Isaribi’s shoulder, “Uh, personal flair, that one. Had it done in-house.” Isaribi moved over to the upper half of a horrifically long, tall, faceless figure as she turned her mutilated bicep over. “This one, though, the long, faceless guy? That’s the Gaunt.” Isaribi pulled her sleeve back down as the vehicle they stood in slowed down. Maybe Baliqui’s Equilibrium was off. “Uh, guess it kinda tells people what I do. What I specialize in.”

“Thank you for sharing that with me.” Bali said, “I’m afraid I don’t have any tattoos myself quite yet; did they hurt? Or were they something to dull the pain? Something to transform what remains to something easier to manage or stomach?” Baliquis asked, then hesitated a flicker for a moment.

That was rude- wasn’t it? It most certainly could be construed as rude or disrespectful. Let’s try again; She thought to herself, but for a moment, “I do not mean to come off as rude or condescending… I was merely asking a question, which is my natural tone…” Hopefully, that helped smooth things over.

Post Word Count

373

Total Word Count

5,962

Wed Mar 01, 2023 10:18 am

The tram began to slow to a halt as passengers got ready to depart. The environment around them had changed from the cheery shopping areas of midtown to the stark, industrial landscape of the Third Ward. People had lived here, once, but no longer. The bulldozing and very cleverly made zoning laws had force people out in favor of large factories and compounds, which only really served to help a few people: their owners. The flower park they were after was at the far end of this district, between the factories and a new residential area. One of those fancy ones with the excessively lush lawns and no sidewalks. For fuck's sakes, no sidewalks?! The village really was on its way to hell. Residential areas like that were made exclusively for people with money who didn't want to see poor folks in the day to day lives.

"Uh, yeah, it's not a big deal, really. Medicine can get real expensive, so most of the time they just give us a stick, you know? Like to bite down on. Or a towel, or whatever..." Her voice trailed off as they descended from the tram into the stale air of the outside. What had attracted her attention, though, was a commotion on the other side of the street, one that became more apparent as the tram pulled away from the stop.

Across the way, a group of shinobi and civilian police were surrounding someone, someone she recognized. Basil was someone who used to run with them. He wasn't part of the Jaws, but he was connected to a variety of gangs, including the Jaws. To call him a drug dealer was a little disingenuous when of course, he was a manufacturer, a cook. The fact that both shinobi and civilian law enforcement had mobilized to catch him out in the open meant that his connection to the Jaws must have been exposed, somehow.

"Oh, shit." She whispered quietly as he raised his head, and she could see that they'd done a number on him. Bloody face, swollen eyelid and lips, among other injuries. Isa had to fight every instinct to move, to surge forward and get him out of there. Think, girl! There are shinobi there. One word outta you, and it's back to prison with you. Not to mention, you're not alone. Think about Baliquis, and what kind of trouble you could get her into. It's not worth it, it's not-

And then he looked at her. He looked straight into her eyes, across the divide of the street, and she just couldn't take it anymore.

"C'mon." She spat the word out gruffly, seizing Bali's wrist and pulling her toward their destination. "Let's get outta here." Behind her, she could here the police making snide remarks. They didn't seem to have noticed her, but the shinobi definitely would have. It was too late to suppress here chakra now, too. Stupid! Going out so unprepared had been a mistake. What the fuck had she been thinking? That this trip would improve her mood, that hanging out with a friend would make the world a little brighter? She should have known better. The world didn't work that way.

[WC 535]

Sat Mar 04, 2023 11:35 pm

Baliquis noticed outside the windows that things had definitely moved from one area to another, and the scenery outside the windows made that more than evident. They went from a more lively type of shopping area via the tram down to a much more industrial-like area. There seemed to be fewer homes and more warehouses and factories, but what ‘homes’ remained seemed to be apartment complexes and companies.

"Uh, yeah, it's not a big deal, really. Medicine can get real expensive, so most of the time they just give us a stick, you know? Like to bite down on. Or a towel, or whatever..." Isaribi answered as the machine stopped, and the two got off the tram. The air was… challenging to breathe in. It was stagnant and tinted with something that made the air a little more…dirty? It was hard to describe as they walked onto the tram platform, and Isaribi looked over to the other side of the street.

A group of people seemed to surround a singular person, and Bali blinked. It was hard to tell the difference if they were shinobi or not because those vermin seemed to excel in blending in with people outside of their low-tier caliber. What drew her attention, however, was Isaribi, who whispered quietly, “Oh shit.” What was that for? Well, Baliquis, in her amazon height, looked back over to see if there was a chance to see what Isaribi could.

In the center of the crowd was a man who clearly, had his shit rocked. He was the begrudging owner of a bleeding, beginning-to-bruise face along with swollen, beginning-to-darken eyelids and what may have been a busted lip among what seemed to be several dusty footprints and other signs of him being beaten up. Baliquis wasn’t interested in helping, and she genuinely hoped that Isaribi didn’t want them to go and help the peasant. Bali couldn’t think of another time when she had wanted so badly not to be involved or seen in something when she usually took care to take charge of the room. "C'mon." Isaribi said roughly before snatching Bali’s wrist and tugging the giant woman along behind her, "Let's get outta here."

What was going on? Did Isa know that person? Bali thought for a moment that it just couldn't be possible. That Isa was associated with someone being beaten up probably meant she may have known them at one point. Isaribi probably meant her unwillingness and forcibly pulling Bali away from the commotion and towards the remembered way to their destination to say she didn't want to be associated any longer. Or wasn’t? Or maybe that person deserved the beating? Either way, she could hear a whining, wailing sound that seemed far off but drawing closer to them with each passing moment. Perhaps that's also something Isa wanted to avoid, but as Isa pulled, Bali asked, “Do you- want me to carry you? We could get away faster… if that is what you are trying to achieve?”

Post Word Count

501

Total Word Count

6,463

Tagged

@Isaribi

Wed Mar 29, 2023 1:31 am

"No, I just... just need to go." Isaribi hurried onward. What was she so panicked about? The shinobi there might have clocked her, but they probably just saw her as a coworker, off duty (which she was). No, it wasn't them she was running from. It was their victim. Guilt clawed at her insides. The truth was, she didn't want to look at him, or rather, she didn't want him to see her. The rejection of people she'd grown up with had gnawed at her for a while, but this was different. This was something she could have prevented, or at least she thought she could. Maybe if she was in a different position in life, or if her talents had been different, she could have stopped this from happening.

Before her was the microcosm of her mission in life. Someone who she had once worked with, who she considered an equal then and now, someone who struggled through life just as much if not more than she did was being crushed. This particular interaction wasn't indicative of any broad unfairness, but it was the result of a village culture and legal policy designed to destroy people like them for the benefit of others. If nobody else bothered to change the world, well, she'd have to do it herself.

[EXIT
TWC 7042
140 AP
2500 toward A-rank of https://www.narutoroleplaygame.com/t49634-wosac-v7-2-unrestricted
2500 toward A-rank of https://www.narutoroleplaygame.com/t54345-genjutsu-spitting
2500 toward A-rank of https://www.narutoroleplaygame.com/t49006-space-time-art-portals
Memorizing Baliquis' chakra signature
closed]

Wed Mar 29, 2023 12:06 pm

“No, I just…just need to go,” Isaribi said as they continued to rush forward and Baliquis felt as if things should have been different. Even when they stopped when Isaribi thought they were far enough forms whatever they were running from and they parted ways, Bali had wished things were different.

A quiet, heartfelt wish that she lured away and locked within its own fullness and its source. That was nothing more that could be done here- not in a way that was beneficial to Baliquis or her sister.

There were the underlying currents of tainted water which only poisoned in the guise of healing and rejuvenation. There were only the artificial promises of betterment in that poison. Empty promises purchased and given in I.O.U form of cooperation, commitment, steadfast resolve, and of reliability that looked and tastes like a warm tingling of empowerment when you placed your hope, trust, and faith in them- but the soured and bitter reality was the realization this sensation? Was merely the side-effect of a fever brought forth from a festering infection.

Hope was the poison of man. Hope had brought her here, that long-fettered liaison of times since past where nostalgia rested and purred happily upon remembrance and touch. Fresh-out-of-the-dryer, warm and soft so it was but deceptively sticky and constricting. Hope had kept her here, with every empty promise and empty commitment made to her where the other ends were never upheld or fulfilled but gave more and more lies in its place of payment in the form of “If you just wait”s and “if you were only patient”. When its venom finally put her so deep she had the clear-mindedness of moments-until-death mortality she saw it for what it was.

Deals with no intention of repayment. Bargains with no intent of maintaining end from those outside of her.

It was disheartening and only reminded her that there had been only a few she could wholeheartedly place her faith and trust in for they had not let these types of forlorn thoughts and feelings fester or added to their growth; instead, reduced it. In people like Isaribi.

This was a parting for now but as Isaribi went her day, Baliquis made sure not to speak. There would be no verbal confirmation of an end so things could remain open-ended. Should things lead to it, they would meet again and Baliquis would always consider Isaribi an equal and a friend; hopefully, things would remain the same should they meet again.

Exit Post Word Count

417

Total Word Count

6,880

Tagged

@Isaribi

Claims

+ 136 AP (WC to AP)
348 Wc towards claiming Suiton: Mizu Senbon (652/1000) to (1000/1000) [ prior WC from here )
5000 WC to have No Handseals Mastery on pH Shift Technique: Tomorrow's Energy
500 WC to claim Chakra Anesthesia (D-Rank)
500 WC to claim Basic Sealing Technique(D-Rank)
632 Wc towards claiming Storage Pilfer (632/1000)

Wed Mar 29, 2023 2:14 pm

Approved @ both