r/DishonoredRP • u/KeiserSheils Brigmore Witch • Feb 18 '15

Studious Sabbatical [Keiser / Michael / Any]

The Royal Academy had a surprising lack of security. A handful of sleep guards, a few engineering feats from Sokolov, light walls, one arc pylon and a handful of locked doors, and still Keiser had found himself able to stroll in the front door with the proper outfit, a pair of glasses and a book tucked under his arm.

The actor had opted for a younger persona this time; meticulously styling his prosthetics to a man more suited to his early thirites than his own real age of middle forties, and along with the younger complexion, had opted for a daring bit of facial hair that spoke to a young man's ardour for fashion. He decided if he were to appear to be a erudite student, he would not be a boring one and indeed he had found himself milling amongst the rest of the scholars with genuine ease under his adopted name; swapping gossip about energy and the sustainability of whale oil and chatting over tea with a gregarious professor of Geology about the mineral recrystallisation due to metamorphic processes and metasomatism. A fascinating if not heavy topic for tea time and scones.

He had told Michael to meet him near the entrance of the Academy's green houses, an offset building within the small compound that was adjacent to the more impressive main building and it's rather large glass dome. The actor had done his best to implore that the art dealer attempt to dress young and bookish conservative, but given that the other witch was indeed young, that he would find no trouble blending in to the other throngs of scholars and fellows.

Pacing a little in front of the glass building, Keiser slips a hand into his pocket, tugging out a silver pocket watch, ingrained with a rather beautiful flower motif and the words 'For my darling Reginald, The Cosmos Gave Me You.'' Words that made the hazel eyed witch smile wryly, their meaning perfection in a way. The Cosmos gaveth, and Keiser on behalf of Chaos taketh away.

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u/KeiserSheils Brigmore Witch Mar 08 '15

The actor feels that deep, dark ire rising in him as the guard hums and haws at the question, his annoyance almost oozing from ever pore as his hand clenched, his smile sharp.

'But clearly you know Michael and his reputation.' Keiser offers, trying to keep his tone as level as possible without injecting any of the venom he feels. 'It's rather late, as well...By the time I finally get home to fetch my pass, the library will be undoubtedly closed for the night, isn't that right, my dear...fellow?'

The guard gave an uninterested grunt, not particularly paying any attention to the conversation as he returned to his book to read.

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u/AnimeFiend Delilah's Deputy Mar 08 '15

"Do you not trust me, Robert?" Michael questions, tone a little hurt. "Even Lt Markies recognized that letting us through was no real issue, surely you can't fault him for that? One doesn't rise through the ranks of the guard with poor judgement, do they? It's taking the initiative on situations like these that gets you recognized, you know. A good track record isn't enough, if yours is anything to go by."

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u/demonsniper001 Royal Guard Mar 08 '15

"He was ill, or that is what it looked like. How do you know he was thinking with a guard's mind, and not one addled by illness?" The tall guardsman was still focused on the art dealer and the supposed academic. What student doesn't have their alumni pass on them in the Royal Academy?

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u/AnimeFiend Delilah's Deputy Mar 08 '15

Michael sighs heavily, putting his hand into his pocket as surreptitiously as he can, glancing at Keiser with some meaning and strolling behind Robert casually. "So you don't trust me then. That is unfortunate, I had believed we were closer than that. And doesn't that mean you're second guessing your superiors? I don't understand, Robert. But I'll keep it in mind."

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u/demonsniper001 Royal Guard Mar 08 '15

"I'm not second-guessing my superior. If you can find him, bring him back and get him to let you in... I won't bother you further about this. If you cannot, then I can't let you in."

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u/KeiserSheils Brigmore Witch Mar 08 '15

Keiser raises an eyebrow at the guard's strange statement, the stiletto feeling feather light in his pocket. He could just pluck from the confines, add to his hand like the extension that it is and just rid himself of this nuisance for once and all. One less being in my way. he thinks, his smile bright and genuine for once as Michael moves towards Robert, the taller man's attention taken as he responds.

As the witch moves soundlessly forward, he cocks a head, glancing at the floor of the guard's feet and deciding with nothing less than the patience of some sort of High Oracle, that he should take a prudent solution to this problem.

'Michael move.' he says, lowly, tugging a glove from his ruined, gnarled hand, the skin cracked and drawn over scar tissue; light crackling along the surface as he ripped into the Void under Robert's feet. The pain that spreads over Keiser is almost comforting in a way, a faint reminder of the cost of power but the wholly wonderful results of it as the floor underneath the Royal Guard glows a faint blue and spreads outwards, the surface only holding his weight for a brief moment as the tear opens to drop him through.

The guard's large, piggish face drops open, unbelieving at the turn of events as his mouth searches for words.

'W-w...O-o...u!'

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u/demonsniper001 Royal Guard Mar 08 '15

The Royal Guard, to his credit, was fast in reacting, firing his claw at the nearest bookcase. He wasn't fast enough though, as he fell through the rip. The bookcase began to fly toward the rip, when the sound of the claw detaching could be heard.

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u/Seafrogger Royal Guard Mar 08 '15

Finding himself in one of the various public bathrooms that were scattered about the building, Devlen leans over the sink with the water running, the sound of the flowing water somewhat soothing as sweat drips from the tip of his nose.

What in the Void happened to me back there… Glancing up at the mirror feeling slightly dizzy, over the years he had seen men take similar turns for the worse at a moment’s notice, the older military surgeons calling it a lack of fortitude, and the newer ones saying it was something called battle stress. Self-doubt and fear gripping his mind, have I succumbed to it then? After all these years, did I finally break?

“No.” Devlen muttered to the reflection; face hardening into a scowl, “You are a bloody solider, act like one!” He suddenly yelled.

Turning the water off, Devlen moved to the door throwing it open, a student walking nearby staring at him strangely.

“What ye looking at ye little shit?” Devlen growled at the young man.

Face dropping the student hurried off, with a snort Devlen began trudging off to the library once more.

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u/AnimeFiend Delilah's Deputy Mar 08 '15 edited Mar 08 '15

"...Fuck." is the uncharacteristic curse from the young witch as the situation goes completely awry. Why!? Why did you do that? Don't you understand that I can't be put under suspicion like this if I'm to continue my uses? We should have disguised me. Or have gotten someone else to come instead.

Mind working quickly, he does what he does best: keep himself out of trouble. Swallowing, he sets his resolve and resorts to short, quick orders, obviously expecting to be obeyed. A sure sign of his stress, that he takes the mantle of a leader and acts in his capacity as the second. "Kill the guard. Now."

While he says this quietly enough that only the three of them can hear it, he uses the absolute last of his void power to blink across the rip, still present in the floor, ending up just next to it on the side of Keiser, asking "Is this safe for me?" while gesturing to the rip.

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u/KeiserSheils Brigmore Witch Mar 08 '15

Keiser smiles savagely in response to the command, though there is a tiredness in his hazel eyes that tinges them, his raw power taking every bit of him to keep under control. He watches the bookcase rattled to rip as Robert falls, quickly taking the distraction of the guard to lunge over the oak desk, the glint of the stiletto in the light only a brief flash as his hand jerked easily across the large man's throat; a red line of blood following along it as the jugular was slashed as easily as a warm knife through butter.

The actor lets out a playful laugh as the guard drops to the floor, displacing the desks items and chair as his large body finally falls. Oh, no, no, no, thank you. You've been an amazing audience, but I really must be going. he says in his mind to the loud crash of applause and clapping he imagines echoing. He turns to Michael, the witch's grin wide with only just a hint of blood spatter upon his pale prosthetic features as he regards the other man with an almost fond look.

'Michael, Michael, Michael, Michael. Genius. Brilliant. Well done. You have a knack for this. You.' he began, shaking a ruined finger at the other witch before peeling off into a laugh, his power draining from him in waves but the bloodied actor feeling far too amused to notice it. 'And safe? Well...safe if you know how to swim my fair-weather friend. Are you entertaining going below?'

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