Thea had trailed close behind Bast, the young leopard looking a bit awestruck at Sunhaven's territory, and, to be honest, it made her feel at home. Happy. She was quite tempted to shoot across the border, and get a view of the floating seatown for herself. Maybe challenge a few people if Bast didn't catch her in time.

Basically, Bast had every right to be worried Thea would piss Sunhaven off. At least, more than necessary.

For now, Thea settled down, eyes scanning the area in front of her for somebody to arrive, face holding a neutral expression instead of her usual grin. After all, she wasn't supposed to be smiling about murder. She didn't quite understand why, but understood enough that it would seem odd if she was grinning when she pointed out who was the 'killer'.

It was a bit funny, since she had been the one to commit the crime, after all.

"Do you think they'll be angry that we're asking, Bast?" Genuine curiousity laced the young Fireball's tone, as pale blue optics glanced down to the leader.

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MONROE

MALE — SUNHAVEN — SUNBEARER — HARD

© LEXASPERATED

Murder was a topic that Buckingham was far more familiar with than he'd like to admit. Buckingham had his fair share of murders, especially during his time as an Asset to Ximen and then a regular assassin after he abandoned his handler. While he was an asset, he followed all orders with no hesitation. Never once did he question a mission, or put his own input into it. Back then, he was nothing but a living weapon, and the people he was ordered to kill or test loyalty were merely targets. After he broke away from Ximen, and began to discover himself more and more, he continued to kill people- but this time around, it was for himself. He didn't think he'd ever be able to shake the person he was shaped to be, until a few months back when the regret and guilt of his murders became too hard to bare.

It was then Bucky decided he can't kill anymore- without a reason at least. If he's defending himself from danger or an enemy, then sure he kill. But if it's a complete innocent, a child, or doesn't have a reason behind it, then he won't do it. He left his violent based home, hoping to start a new life.

So far, it's been going pretty well. It took him a few months of traveling for him to find Sunhaven. In his travels, Bucky only came across one person who ended up in his claws- his former handler Ximen. Without a doubt, that was probably the only murder Bucky committed that was justified. After all the torture and suffering his handler put him through, he was finally at peace. He no longer had to fear that one day Ximen would make him his asset again, or use someone else in the same way.

He's finally at peace, yeah.

Buckingham was patrolling the territory when the Ascendants scent invaded his nostrils. Bucky knew they were allies with the Ascendants, but the former assassin never interacted with them before. He assumed they were here on ambassador business, it will be nice to finally meet them. With a flick of his tail, the fluffy maine coon made his way to where the Ascendants wait.

As Bucky padded in, his pricked ears managed to catch the few words that came out of Thea's mouth. "Do you think they'll be angry that we're asking, Bast?" Angry about what? The male frowned ever so slightly- well, he doesn't think this is an ambassador visit anymore. They certainly don't look pleased, he can't recall anything they've done that would have upset them. They wouldn't want to risk their alliance, after all. The Dawnguard was going to ask what they had to be angry about, but Quantum beat him to it. He didn’t bother to repeat the question, having no idea of the connection he has with the ‘murder’. He glanced over at his clanmates who arrived before him, Monroe and Quantum, wondering if they knew what they wanted.

WITH YOUR SICK HEAD

"Funny. I was just thinking about how you guys were a lot less cheerful than I thought you'd be!" Somebody really should've taped Thea's mouth shut, or at least informed her that honesty was not always the best virtue when it came to trying to not piss off allies. "But you're all grumpy."

Quantum's question was something that Bast was probably better suited for, yet she had been about to answer herself, when the arrival of a certain tom with a metal leg was noticed, and Thea, involuntarily, actually, that part was not to make herself seem more believable, as she stuck behind the leader. "Him." She finally spoke, the cheer from her previous sentences gone, a hard gaze in her eyes as she glared at Bucky. "That's who I saw."

She said no more, but the Ascendents would probably understand plenty what she meant. That that was the person she 'saw' when Roy was killed.

Memories of her own had been flitting in the back of her mind, of people she had known covered in their own blood, the blame immediately shifting to the tom before her, right now, and it was so frustrating how these memories with no place in her mind, or life, for that matter, were there. The emotions that came with it were... almost like a television on mute. You could see the pictures just fine, but couldn't hear anything.

Sure, this Thea didn't know much, but it was probably those memories that she couldn't figure out that were one of the main reasons she was even doing this.

All she knew was that somebody like him didn't deserve to be happy.

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When Thea's gaze landed on him, and as he watched the color drain from her face, a feeling in his gut didn't sit well. Bucky recognized that demeanor the snow leopard was expressing- it's almost like fear. The way she hid behind the Ascendants leader, the hard glare she sent in his direction- he seen it all before. During his time as the Asset, he was ordered to test the loyalty of his clanmates from his handler. With each person he approached, he vividly remembers the terrified expressions on their faces, their voices pleading with him. Back then, he was merely a weapon- he could not be pleaded with. He did what he was told, with no hesitation. But Thea here, no matter how far he dug into his skull, he couldn't find her anywhere. He's not sure why she's afraid of him, it doesn't make sense- people here don't know about the asset!

And then, all of his thoughts paused when her voice spoke up again. This time, the cheerful tone she had was nowhere to be found. "Him. That's who I saw." Her haunting words met his ears, Bucky beginning to feel his heart beat in his chest. Him? That's who she saw? Without a doubt, she sounded accusatory, and the way she hid behind her leader made it even more believable. Bucky had no idea what she was talking about, considering Bucky hasn't left Sunhaven's territory.

"Wait just a minute," The tom spoke up with a confused tone, trying to put his thoughts together from his panicking, wild mind, "What the hell are you talking about? What do I have to do with it?"

MONROE

MALE — SUNHAVEN — WARDEN — HARD