justicefanged​:

stealstaff​:

That’s Not Very Hakuna Matata Of You

Linus hadn’t exactly been expecting a response to his shouting, but the petulant “I ain’t no kid!” that pipes back at him at least tells him where the brat is. He’d been stomping around for quite a while now, so it was about damn time. 

“Oh, really, huh?” he barks out a laugh, kicking at a bush in frustration as he makes his way through the trees to finally come face to face with the little sneak. “Boy, you sure do look like a grown up with that face! Why the hell’d ya ditch the rest’ve the group like that? D’you even know where you’re goin’?” 

For all his bluster, he wasn’t really miffed that she’d left when he was teaching. Wasn’t any skin off his nose if the girl didn’t wanna stick around for classes, but if they were with him, that meant he was responsible for his students’ safety. And sure, he thought some of them were right pains in the ass, but at the end of the day, he didn’t want to see anything bad happen to them. He also didn’t want to get into trouble. More trouble. He was always in trouble, but you know…he did try to lessen it, sometimes.

“I don’t care if ya think my classes or whatever ain’t worth a shit, but if you’re out with me and ya feel like up an’ leavin’, at least fuckin’ tell somebody where you’re goin’! Wastin’ my damn time gettin’ lost out here in the woods…Kids, I swear…”

That last part was absolutely just to get on her nerves.

"Course I know where I'm goin'!" Tina snaps back indignantly. She doesn't. She has absolutely no idea. It hasn't even occurred to her until right this second that she doesn't know where she is but she sure as shit isn't about to admit that little detail. It probably doesn't matter now anyway because he's probably gonna go and make sure she gets where she needs to be. That's what always happens when she gets caught wandering. Someone finds her, gives her a talking to, and she's brought back to where she belongs.

At least she won't have to admit to being lost.

"I told you I ain't no fuckin' kid! Maybe you're just old!"

At that moment, there's a tickle on her arm. She doesn't think much of it and reaches to give a little scratch. But instead of arm she feels something fuzzy. And crawly.

It's a caterpillar.

Tina shrieks and it's earsplitting. She runs as fast as her legs will carry her toward Linus. "Get if off!" Her voice is shrill. "I SAID GET IT OFF!!!!!!!!!!"

Who could have guessed there would be bugs in the woods!

Hold it by the blade...she makes a little mental note about that. Maybe she'll remember. Maybe she won't. She's not so sure why it matters so much. Why can't he just calmly take it without getting sliced? Maybe it should be his problem not hers whether or not he gets hurt.

Whittling wood...boring. But oho. A good friend. Tina's heard things. She's seen things. People talk when they don't notice who's around them and she is often overlooked. It's fun watching people and gathering the gossip. And oh boy is there some good gossip floating around this school.

Her lips curl into a wicked grin. "Ooooooo! So it's from your booooooyfriend! Hehe no wonder you like cared so much about it! Guess that means ya owe me one, eh professor?" It absolutely means he owes her one at least in her eyes and she definitely means to collect.

Armed to the Teeth — [Riding +1]

stealstaff​:

Tina doesn’t pay much attention as Python trudges forward to entertain the wolf one last time. She’s too busy attempting to swing the knife around in what surely must be a very cool manner. Anyone with a sick knife has to look cool when holding it even if they have no idea what they’re doing, right?

But he turns his attention back to her and she hastily hides it behind her back, eyes wide, and a very suspicious look on her face. No one’s ever asked her for their weapon back before after she’s stolen it. Though she’s never actually been this close to one of her victims before either. From a whole map away, it was unlikely that they even knew who it was that took it.

She’s never actually held onto a weapon for this long either. A freshly sharpened blade was far too valuable to the others in Leif’s Liberation Army to remain in the hands of someone who couldn’t use it. She’d have quickly passed it off to someone who could use it or sell it by now.

“Ah fine! Here!” She holds it by the handle as she hands it over. No one’s ever taught her anything about knife safety. She knows it was a shoddy attempt at hiding it so she might as well just give it back. “Whaddya need it for anyway if you’re an archer or whatever?”

“Knives aren’t just for killin’ folks, you know.” That’s an assumption that some sort of brigand or thief might make, truth be told. The accusation sits right on Python’s tongue, held fast by the point of the blade turned toward him. An experienced thief would know how to properly handle their weapon of choice, after all. He sighs, reaching for Tina’s hand gripped around the handle. His job is to teach, and it looks like there’s a lesson to be learned. “Though you’ll be slicing me up real good if you offer it to me like that.” He pries her fingers open, lifting the knife with his fingers. Rather than taking it immediately, he pivots it around until the blade points back toward herself. Then, with a pointed tap of a fingernail against the handle, he reclaims it The light grooves in the sanded handle welcome his fingers like an old friend’s embrace. He smiles at the thought, brushing his thumb along the engraving etched into the polished oak. “This one was made for whittling wood. A good friend of mine paid a pretty penny for it, so I ‘preciate you keeping it from turning into a wolf’s chew toy.”

Tina gets bored easily and she hates listening to people try to tell her what to do.  She’d been roped into some kind of outdoor class thing...she’s not really sure what this is supposed to be and she really doesn’t care enough to try to figure it out.  The professor isn’t the worst.  He swears enough to be cooler than most authority figures buuuuuut he’s still supposed to be in charge and her base instincts leave her fighting against that.

Eventually, she grows tired of survivalist training and decides to simply Leave.  She says nothing, just turns around and dips.  She doesn’t know these woods and she hasn’t paid a single bit of attention on how to find her way.  The thought that she could get lost does not occur to her at all.  Neither does the fact that anyone might get concerned if they noticed she was missing.  She is simply done and so it is time to find something more entertaining to do.

Tina doesn’t really notice that she’s passed the same group of trees about three times now.  She’s been going in circles but has yet to realize this.  

Then a voice booms out and she whirls around, cheeks puffed out in anger and hands on her hips.  “I ain’t no kid!”

That’s Not Very Hakuna Matata Of You

@stealstaff

While it wasn’t exactly a class, at least, not one Linus had noticed, taking a group of his kids out into the woods was something he liked to do. It gave him time outside of the box of the monastery and keep his head slightly more screwed on, and it gave them a chance to learn some survivalist training. Win-win, right?

Wrong! 

He’d totally lost one of the kids! 

Keeping track of things was not his strongest point, okay?! He tried to break these up into small groups because he knew that, but that didn’t mean it was easy! They could be real brats at times, or he missed something, or one of them wandered off when he was smack in the middle of explaining the best ways to sneak up on something – or someone – while in terrain like this.

So here he was, having sent the rest of the students back as he stomped off to try and find the missing factor in all this.

“Fuckin’ kids, I swear–” Linus grumbled to himself, casting a glance towards the sky through a break in the trees, frowning as he saw that the light was starting to wane.

Fan-fuckin-tastic.

“Hey! Kid! Ya better get ya ass out here now, or ‘m gonna leave ya out here overnight and tell the gatekeepers not to let ya back in!” 

elusivia​:

Who Is Dandelion [Tina & Zelkov]

Was it Perne or Dandelion? Zelkov was having trouble following her story. “Bugs? He sounds *reprehensible.*” Then again, he was only getting about 70% of one side of a story by how fast she spoke.

“I *do* think that,” he doubled down. Though he had a soft spot for children, sometimes even extended to teenagers, he knew when a thief had a long ways to go. She was personally so conspicuous that she could be a decent decoy, but to actually perform sleight of hand? “A true thief does not allow someone else to pick their po-”

His knitting needles were sitting in her hands.

*?!*

Zelkov patted his pocket, certain she hadn’t been able to actually reach them, and yet. She’d done it. Perhaps he had misunderstood her methods.

“I see. You have an impressive and distracting *front*, only pretending to seem ill adept.” The volume, the generally loud way about her, all very disarming. There was only one explanation he could think of. “You must have *magical* means, or I’d know otherwise.” He humbly took the needles back, tucking them away safely.

“You do know your *shit,* he admitted, to use her own words.

“But I still prefer to work alone, in the shadows, when I must. Perhaps… we are to be friendly *rivals*.”

“Gods, finally!”  Tina throws her hands up in triumph.  “Someone who actually has some sense!  He’s a meanie and a big ol’ bully and I dunno how anyone can think otherwise!”

It’s so refreshing having her thoughts and opinions validated for once.  Even her big sister had simply given her that you-have-got-to-be-kidding-me look when she cried about being tortured and tormented with definitely the biggest bugs to ever been seen in Thracia.  She is pleasantly surprised that Zelkov would listen to her ramblings and come away from them in agreement with her.

Un(?)fortunately(?) the Elusian has gained Tina’s full respect.  

She grins, chest pufffed out with pride when her skills are acknowledged as well.  She’d been completely ready for him to dismiss her on that front too.  But nope.  This super intimidating and talented dude sees her as, perhaps, an equal.  Nobody’d pick a rival that was beneath them!

She shoots him some finger ballistas and winks.  “You’ll know where to find me when ya realize ya need my staff!”

aimlessarchery​:

Armed to the Teeth — [Riding +1]

“My job’s to teach archery, actually. Not to entertain giant dogs.” And yet the dog continues to bore holes into him with its big ol’ eyes. It whistles out a whine, tail wagging pitifully, and Python groans again. He trudges up to the fence and lolls forward as he bends to pick up the stick, just to display his distaste for this whole situation. With the stick in his grasp, he jabs it between the rails of the fence. “Last time. I’m not paid for this.” He’s answered with a strong set of jaws clamping down and yanking it out of his hands. “Wha—” The wolf bounds off with its tail and head held high, apparently far more interested in the branch when it’s been stolen from someone else’s hands. Python brushes his stinging palms against his pants. Yeah, definitely not a dog person. Can’t understand ‘em. He pivots back to Tina now, hands on his hips. “Protection done. You mind paying me with that knife? My knife?”

Tina doesn't pay much attention as Python trudges forward to entertain the wolf one last time. She's too busy attempting to swing the knife around in what surely must be a very cool manner. Anyone with a sick knife has to look cool when holding it even if they have no idea what they're doing, right?

But he turns his attention back to her and she hastily hides it behind her back, eyes wide, and a very suspicious look on her face. No one's ever asked her for their weapon back before after she's stolen it. Though she's never actually been this close to one of her victims before either. From a whole map away, it was unlikely that they even knew who it was that took it.

She's never actually held onto a weapon for this long either. A freshly sharpened blade was far too valuable to the others in Leif's Liberation Army to remain in the hands of someone who couldn't use it. She'd have quickly passed it off to someone who could use it or sell it by now.

"Ah fine! Here!" She holds it by the handle as she hands it over. No one's ever taught her anything about knife safety. She knows it was a shoddy attempt at hiding it so she might as well just give it back. "Whaddya need it for anyway if you're an archer or whatever?"

TOA Tina by the wonderful and talented @zefirart ! Thank you so much for bringing my vision for her uniform out of my brain!

diadic​:

fence sitter

   “ Do you mean Finn? ”  he arches a brow.  “ He can’t do things for me when he’s not here. Though I’m sure he’d try if he knew… ”

He kneels and begins to reapply the paint there, frowning as the color swatch feels off with the multiple coats of paint. Does he have to redo the WHOLE place now?? Should he wash it and start from scratch???

“ Anyway, I’m here for ‘extra credit.’ If I can finish this floor, I don’t have to worry about flying classes for a while. ”  He stands up again.  “ Tina, come with me! You owe me. ”

Tina wouldn't know much about how Leif was doing in his classes.  They might both be Golden Deer, but it's a rare occasion that she actually does show up.  So far there haven't been any scolding letters from Safy so the professors probably don't care enough to tell her.  Which is perfectly fine by Tina!  Sooo she doesn't really care about getting any extra credit.

"Owe you?  I don't owe you nothin'!"  Though she pauses a moment and takes a few steps outside of the wet paint.  She had asked him for a favor recently.  "Unless...didja tell your cousin about me?  Does he wanna meet me!?"

𝐒𝐎𝐋𝐀𝐑 𝐒𝐘𝐒𝐓𝐄𝐌

RULES: bold what applies - italicize sometimes - strike out never. Tag some friends to play along! Repost, don’t reblog !

SUN • egotistical • melted wax wings and fingers • stretching sunburnt skin • the most generous soul • blood in the fruit • halos • anger on fire • high vitality • thunderous laughter • is pride really a sin? • halogenic aura

MERCURY • expansion of the mind • silver-tongued • an everlasting wanderer • polyglot • high dexterity • handwritten letters • innately critical • en vogue • eyes in the trees • hidden libraries • there’s always room for improvement

VENUS • in love with strangers • iridescent waters • love potions for your mirror • selfless devotion • shattering crystal • seafoam upon sand • the golden ratio • drowning in your own passion • material value & high principles • luring • plush lips

EARTH • fresh springs • tree hugger • we can start again tomorrow • a blazing rainforest • respects survival of the fittest • nature’s adversity • lazy bones • constantly evolving • flowers sprouting from wounds • a granite altar • fossilized remains

MOON • illusory • silver shimmer off the ocean • secrets and gossip • cycles of reincarnation • a crybaby • physically ethereal • shared glances with a stranger • cat eyes • mistrusting their intuition • fear is a prison • ornate magic wands

MARS • healthy competition • attraction and repulsion • magma and rubies • a blade being forged • wrath wrath wrath • malefic • intense eye contact • cannon fodder & fireworks • blood floods • copper taste on your tongue

JUPITER • red robes and a suit of armor • beacon of stability • leader by birth • thunderbolts and lightning • guilty but can’t stop • secret rich kid • golden touch golden tears • innate optimist • failure isn’t an option • constantly reaching for more • unfinished symphonies

SATURN • traditional • overbearing energy • a sculptor of reality • this existence is a karmic one • has a heart it’s just… way down deep • law, order & justice • avoid all necessary risk • the sound of shackles clanging • sisyphus’ struggle • grappling with the reality of time • self-governing

URANUS • psychedelic funk music • overflowing cups • a rebellion with skin • looking good in photo id • oblivious but caring • middle fingers in the air • double rainbows • icy diamond exterior • holographic • afraid of their own mediocrity • pearlescent smoke

NEPTUNE • an elegy for the lost • dissolving boundaries • white horses • the burden of mystical conditions • deceptive • escapism is their reality • a polarizing entity • artists soul • paranoia • searching for the unseen • a siren’s swan song

PLUTO •angel statues over graves • power • the cycle of necrosis • transformative • unfathomable depths • an ivory tower toppling over • screaming at the sky • violets and irises • eclipsed darkness • speaks with their shadow • sex, death, rebirth

I need to write some stuff about Tina because I’m thinking too much about Altena so here’s some ramblings about Tina and her relationships with other people/how other people see and treat her!

Tina is 15 in the year 776 and she very much acts like it.  She does what she wants without regard for the potentially dire consequences, has a weird and irrational fear, and crushes on a celebrity.  She’s very much a regular ass teengirl and the people in her life treat her as such.  And how does someone treat a regular ass teengirl?  They don’t take her seriously at all!

The best example of this is with her own sister, Safy, who’s like only 2-3 years older than her.  Tina explains how Perne was taking advantage of her by exploiting her greatest fear (bugs) and Safy is like girl please.

Saphy: “What did he do to you, Tina!? Tell me! I’m prepared for the worst!”

Tina: “He… He takes huge bugs and puts them on my face… I-I was so scared… I thought I would die.”

Saphy: “…Is that all?”

Tina: “Yes… But I was really scared. Just remembering it gives me shivers…”

Saphy: “Tina…”

And yes, in a world where children around Tina’s age are hunted and killed as sacrifices to an evil god, “is that all” is kind of a reasonable response.  It’s the response that the player also has as it is built up in the previous chapter that Perne is committing some unmentioned evil acts to keep Tina in line.  Really bad shit happens throughout the whole game to everyone but Tina is worried about bugs that I am completely convinced probably weren’t even that big.

But it’s a big deal to Tina.  She’s scared and alone and being forced by some thieves to steal shit for them and now she’s finally reunited with the big sister she went out looking for in the first place and Safy’s response to her trauma is “is that all”.  Yikes!  The invalidation!  Tina even tries to explain that it’s a big deal and Safy still is like girl please.

And it continues when Tina brings up her lil centerfold in the Tiger Beat Magazine type crush on Leif.

Tina: “Yes, I’m sorry… Oh, Saphy, don’t you think Lord Leaf is so handsome? My ideal man would be a prince like him… What do you think, Saphy?”

Saphy: “Tina… …I’m a little tired. Let’s talk later.”

It’s funny!  Tina is genuinely funny and some excellent comic relief to break up the dark themes in Thracia.  But when you look a little closer it’s sad and I do genuinely feel for her.  

Perne also, obviously, does not at all take her seriously.  She’s some bratty kid he found who can use some cool staves.  And really, she doesn’t much act like the kind of person one should take seriously when she’s around him.  It isn’t just the act of having bugs put on her that scares her into doing what he wants.  Even simply the threat of it is enough.

Then there’s Salem.  Salem is different!  Salem actually listens to her fears and her desires, even more so that her own sister.  And I think that is so special.  Tina and Salem’s relationship makes me so soft.  Tina likes Salem a lot.  She does not at all understand why a cool dude like him is hanging out with Perne but she is really grateful that he is.  

When we first meet the Dandelions, one of the first things he does is stick up for Tina.

Seiram: “And Tina… Don’t go too far with her. She’s still a child.”

Then there’s a very sweet little scene between Salem and Tina.  She’s one of the few people he actually has any dialogue with at all.  She actually doesn’t have a whole lot of dialogue either.  Which makes it extra sweet that the two of them are put together.

Tina: “Here, I made some dinner for you. It’s cold out, so I made something warm.”

Seiram: “Thank you. It’s dangerous outside at night. You should go to sleep.”

Tina: “Yes…”

Seiram: “…Are you worried about your sister? You said her name was Saphy… Don’t worry, you will see her again. I will help you look for her once my wounds are healed.”

Tina: “Really? Thank you, Bishop Seiram. Good night.”

Tina goes out of her way to do something nice for Salem but more importantly, he actually talks to her about her feelings and even agrees to help her do something about them.  She doesn’t even bring Safy up.  Salem puts the pieces together all on his own why she’s so upset.  This is why he gets nice things like a special hot homemade dinner.  She’s so used to being underestimated, ignored, and invalidated that being around someone like Salem who shows genuine concern for her thoughts and he life earns her love and respect.

I did have an idea where I was going with all of this but it took so long to write it that now I forget!  But I am thinking less about Altena and more about Tina so I guess I ultimately achieved my goal?  

Flowers For My Future Boyfriend

As the Ethereal Ball is only a little ways away, students and staff are doing their best to prepare via dancing lessons, outfit shopping, and event planning. This year a vendor arrives in town with a wagon full of flowers from all over the world in full bloom. They’re quite the romantic though, so luckily for you, they’re even offering corsage and boutonniere lessons. gift your crush, significant other, sworn enemy, or whoever it may be a lovely floral arrangement that you hand-picked and handmade! They won’t judge if it looks ugly, but.. maybe the person next to you is better at arranging.

Tina is easily swayed by the flower vendor’s assurance that, if she buys these flowers and puts them together into a nice arrangement, the object of her heart’s desire sill surely accept her love.  Whether she actually really believes it or is just thinking wishfully is another matter entirely.  But she is here at this seller’s booth trying to decide what would be the perfect flower for the hottest guy she knows.

It’s a big selection and it’s pretty overwhelming.  It would probably be easier if she, you know, actually knew anything about him other than his name is Seliph and he’s handsome.  He’s pretty blue looking.  Maybe he likes blue?  But then again, she’s pretty green and she likes orange and red.  Shit.

When the hour seems darkest and Tina is beginning to regret every decision she’s ever made, a familiar face just so happens to pass by.  She doesn’t know him but she knows she’s seen him with Seliph a bunch.  He’s also got some very nice, strong looking arms.  

“Oi, you!  Yeah, you!  C’mere!”

@sharpscion

Martin the Warrior

You notice things you would never have picked out before. Seeing the world from down here, you occasionally find odd tokens in the grass, in pots, in other such hidden places. Trouble is, they appear to be but half of whatever treasure you’ve found. Not to worry! One of the fairies captured in a recent mission is all too happy to take them off your hands, promising good luck and miracles for every complete match. Who knows if the ‘good luck’ is real, but there does seem to have been one small side effect after the fact: you’ve learned, quite incidentally, that you can now speak with mice! And hoo boy, do they have a lot to say: they humbly request your help, O strange near-hairless rodents, in order to defeat the threat of other mice invading their (your) territory. Teach them, they plead! Teach them to fight! Well, all right then. Surely nothing untoward will come of you showing one or two of them how to swing a stick… [ Grants Any Skill +1 ]

It had been fun and exciting realizing she’d somehow been shrunken down small for about 1.75 seconds.  That was how long it took for her to realize that bugs (that are already gigantic and terrifying enough) are even more gigantic and terrifying when she is the same size as them.  The novelty has worn off quickly but, thankfully, a big green knightly type has offered to fend off any creepy crawlies if she sticks close to him.

It still sucks hard but, Tina has to admit, it’s nice being around an adult that’s willing to accept and even help her deal with her entomophobia rather than dismiss it or exploit it.  Normally knightly types are boring but she’ll stick around for the protection.

Then shit gets interesting again and she can almost forget about the terrifying flap of hideous butterfly wings overhead as a mouse approaches the two of them and starts to speak.  She listens, stunned speechless for once, as the mice beg them to teach them the art of war.  Well, she just so happens to know a thing or two about that!  And, before she can start thinking, she starts speaking.

“Hehe you’re in luck!  I just so happen to be like a former soldier or whatever!  It’s like really friggen easy.  All ya gotta do is swipe their shit before they can attack!”

“Swipe their...shit?”  The mouse leader blinks, clearly confused.  “But our enemies have no shit to swipe!  They have no weapons and neither do we.  If you would show us how to wield them, surely we would have the advantage to win the day!”

Tina simply shrugs.  “Oh.  Then I ain’t got nothin’.  Sorry!”

@viridescent-lance

March Activity

Points Earned: 1

Check: Faith +1

Skill Changes

Faith D ->D+

aimlessarchery​:

Armed to the Teeth — [Riding +1]

It’s impressive that a girl who just chided him for messing up her name would assume that he knew she had a sister, let alone had the means to contact her. The oversight just makes Python’s promise all the easier. “Yeah, sure, whatever. Dunno why your sister would disapprove of warp magic, but that ain’t my business.” It might be the first time he’s seen such magic used to move an object instead of a person, actually. Whether or not that carries any significance is unknown to him. Its importance pales in comparison to the disarmed wolf and the knife now grasped in Tina’s hand. Just as Python reaches for it, the low growl beside them rises in volume. The beast is snarling at the two of them, head low and tail erect. Suddenly, the wooden fencing that separates them from each other looks about as sturdy as some toothpicks driven into the dirt to Python’s eyes. “Uh…” He takes a step back, the treads of his boot rolling across a fallen branch from one of the trees that shades the area. An absurd idea takes hold in his mind. He bends down and grasps the stick in his hand. Yellow canine eyes follow the movement of his hand when he waves it back and forth. Its tail swishes once, twice. Feeling like an absolute moron, he winds his arm back and pitches the stick over the fence. The wolf dashes to follow its arc—bounding across the grass and leaping up to attempt to catch the new toy between its jaws. It fumbles and crashes to the ground in a heap of furry limbs, scrambling to right itself. Python breathes a sigh of relief. “Looks like it just wanted a chew toy.” He extends a hand once more toward Tina. “Now if I could have my toy back…” Another whine rings out from behind the fence. Their furry friend is back, stick protruding proudly from its mouth on both sides. Fearsome jaws open and release its quarry to the ground, allowing it to slip past the fence and roll back toward the two humans. Yellow eyes once again look to him, to Tina, and back down to the stick expectantly this time. “Oh, you’ve gotta be kidding me.”

Warp magic. Tina snorts. If that's what he wants to think, she'll let him. Maybe it is warp magic in this instance. Is it really stealing if the knife didn't belong to the wolf in the first place?

It's a nice knife. Probably. Tina doesn't really know anything about knives but she sure feels cool holding it. Maybe she should get one. Actually she has one now, doesn't she? Her uniform pinafore pockets are decently sized. She could just slip it in there. Python isn't reaching for it anymore and he's distracted enough by the wolf...

Ah but he'd know. He's not gonna be distracted forever and he'll remember who she was if she ran off with it now.

The wolf's tail wags as it looks expectantly at the stick. There is no way Tina is sticking her hand through that fence and throwing it. The wolf is way less scary without a knife but it's still got its teeth. It's not like she can steal those.

"Don't look at me! You're the professor here! Isn't it like your job or whatever to keep the students safe or somethin'? Get throwin'!"

Tina stands, head cocked to the side and an eyebrow raised as she looks down at Leif.  She is still in the paint, directly in front of him.  It's weird to see him down there like this working hard on whatever it is he's doing.  Eventually it registers that she's standing in wet paint and now her cute new boots are all painted.  That's annoying.  Instead of trying to tiptoe out of there while taking big steps to minimize any further damage to the prince's work, she just continues on her way, more so to prevent any further damage to her boots.

"What are ya doin' anyway?  Don't you have that guy who like does things for you to do things like this?"

fence sitter

CHALLENGE: Both partners are unable to exceed a maximum of 150 words per reply for the entire duration of the thread.   // @stealstaff !

   “ Tina, wait, don't—! ”  But it was too late. The girl had already stepped across the floor he had been freshly painting, grey pigment now on the underside of her shoes.  “ Step… there… Damn it. ”

He rises from his kneeling position, heaving a sigh as he uses his free hand to run through his own brown locks, troubled by this new development.

“ You can’t go through here, Tina. ”

Sidling his way around the exterior of his painting zone, he approaches where she stands, inspecting what damage she’d caused.

“ …Great. Now I have to redo this section. ”   

"Pwff," Tina huffs with an exaggerated eyeroll that kind of hurts her eyes as she does it. "Perne sure as shit didn't inspire me! Torturin' a poor girl with scary, gigundo bugs 'til she steals whatever he wants for him! Sure maybe Troude and Salem see somethin' good in him but Not Me No Way." Tina talks as though what she's saying makes complete sense. Zelkov should totally be able to follow along even if she explains nothing.

She folds her arms across her chest and raises an expectant eyebrow. If this guy doesn't even know about thief gangs, what kind of competition could he even provide? That question is quickly answered and her eyes grow wide when she notices the letter he's snatched and is now returning to her.

It's from Safy. From her overprotective sister who insists on corresponding at least weekly to make sure Tina is staying out of trouble. As much as it annoys the hell out of her, Tina misses Safy something fierce and each letter from her is something Special to hold onto.

But it's embarrassing as hell! No one's gonna think she's as fun and cool as she obviously is if they know she's got a big sister letter tucked in the pocket of her uniform pinafore! Thank gods Zelkov gives it right back without bothering to check the contents of it.

His display of his craft gives her a brilliant idea of her own. With her hands behind her back, Tina rocks back and forth excitedly on her feet, eyes glinting with mischief. "I have some ways to go huh? Ya reeeaaaaaaally think that?"

She's been practicing the Fodlan way of casting spells without a staff. It's weird and feels kind of unnatural and she's never really sure what to do with her hands when she does it but she's been getting pretty good. She can't reach the long range without her beloved thief staff in hand but Zelkov is right in front of her. There's something pointy she notices tucked away within his cloak...probably some cool weapon and definitely something perfect to use to boast about her own prowess as a thief.

Tina produces a hand, palm up, and starts to focus on what it feels like when she uses her staff. She thinks really hard about what it is she wants to steal from him (that pointy thingy) and says a silent prayer to Braggi to help her make this work and look cool doing it. It takes a little longer than cool should but in her hand appears...oh...it's just knitting needles.

She gives them a twirl and then offers them back to their rightful owner.

"I know my shit too, ya know!"

Who Is Dandelion [Tina & Zelkov]

Continued from here with @stealstaff

The girl seemed adamant about her thief guild club, although Zelkov was wrestling with the dissonance between the nature of crime rings and the glittery pastel poster before him. A bold artistic choice, perhaps even a purposeful statement, but he did not sense the sort of seriousness beneath that even Yunaka had with stars in her hair. The Dandelions? Dandelion’s?

“Who is this *Dandelion*, and how does he inspire such camaraderie?” Zelkov was truly thoughtful, mind racing. Whoever this person was, they sounded Elusian.

She already seemed to have a partner. Zelkov would assume this *Patty* was equally as enthusiastic about theft and crime as the girl before him.

“Listen to me, young one. If you are *pursuing* a life by way of the *rogue* for vengeance, it will only leave you empty,” he rasped. Then, in a more businesslike tone, “If your homeland is anything like mine, and it may be so, there is such an inflated number of thieves, scoundrels, *assassins*, and pirates that it’d be easier to get your *foot* in the door elsewhere. *Doubly* difficult— I already know your face. You know not if I am ally, or rival.”

He leaned forward slightly, a hint of a challenging quirk of a smile on his lips.

“Pretend I am your *competition* for a moment—“

—he held up a letter taken from her pocket during his speech. Once she looked to it, he handed it back over to her.

“—you have some ways to go before *professional* mastery.”

🎨🥺

(sketches this real quick before we both get eaten by a wolf)

She raises an eyebrow and looks at him like he's crazy. Of course he's uncool. He's a professor at a fancy school for Braggi's sake! Not to mention the fact that he's old.

But as far as old people and professors go, she supposes he isn't the worst. He's not as stuck up as the nuns who taught her back in Tarrah and she's pretty sure she's never heard anything about him rapping any knuckles with rulers. Kinda makes her wish she had any interest at all in archery. His wouldn't be the most painful class to suffer through.

"Yeah, I'm a Deer. Some professor you are not even knowin' your own students!" Would she be better known if she showed up to classes? Yeah probably but this isn't about that.

"Ya better swear my sister don't hear nothin' about this, got it?" She promised she wouldn't bring her thief staff with her to Fódlan but thief girls gotta thieve. She'd be just a regular old boring cleric in training without it. And how's she supposed to start a cool Thief Club with Patty if she doesn't have the right tools?

Her eyes narrow and she glares at him with the intensity of someone who thinks they're being intimidating. From her safety outside the wolf pen, Tina points her staff right at the knife turned chew toy and casts her spell. In an instant, it disappears from the wolf's mouth and reappears in her hand.

Deprived of its fun new toy, the wolf lets out a whine that turns into a low growl. Tina can't say she knows much about animals but she's pretty positive it doesn't look happy.

Armed to the Teeth — [Riding +1]

stealstaff​:

Tina watches curiously as Python loses his apple and his knife. She recognizes him as one of her professors. Aren’t they supposed to be more prim and proper than the type that would lounge about on a fence and get their stuff stolen by wolves? The nuns that taught her back in Tarrah sure were.

It’s pretty dang funny watching him try to get his knife back though. It’s pretty dang funny watching his snack get eaten too. She could easier zhwip zhwap thief staff and retrieve it without even moving but where’s the fun in that? He’s probably fine. It’s not like the wolf is trying to use it to attack or whatever, right?

Safy’d have something to say about her lack of helping but Safy’s not here.

Ah but then Python notices her presence and now, whether she likes it or not, Tina’s involved. She isn’t too keen on the idea of getting close in there. Even without a weapon, a wolf has some sharp teeth. Maybe they are trained to be ridden but they seem pretty rascally. She still could easily steal it back but this guy is one of her professors. Does she really want them knowing about her unique set of skills?

Then again, from what she’s seen of him, Python seems pretty chill as far as authority figures go.

She takes a few steps closer and gives him a good side eyed glare. “You’re not a narc, are ya? Like, you’re cool, right?”

“Am I—?” His eyes widen in equal parts bewilderment and offense before darting back over to check on the wolf. It paws at the ground, tail continuing to sway. A droplet of drool falls from its teeth onto the handle of the knife and drips onto the ground. Back to the girl. She’s vaguely familiar, too much so to just be a frequent face in the common areas. He squints for a moment, assessing her. “Tine…no, Tina. You’re a Deer, aren’t ya?” That’s right, he’s seen her in the classroom before. “When have I ever been uncool?” His leniency is well-known at this point—r it should be, at least. He’s cool! (As cool as one can be while awkwardly grappling for a knife that’s currently locked in the jaws of a large canine.) “I’m not callin’ the guards on you for stealin’ from a wolf, if that’s what you’re askin’.”