WORDS THAT GO UNSPOKEN // o; joining

[REBECCA MACK]

[align=center]
[div style="text-align: justify; width: 53%; font-family: georgia; font-size: 11pt; letter-spacing: -1px;"]Had she been dreaming, or something along those lines? It wasn't every single day you wake up to discover that you were no longer human, and now live in an unfamiliar world. Bex had been through some crazy shit, that was for certain. Most of the situations she had been tossed in were usually her fault, but this time it wasn't, and it was wilder than anything she had ever put herself through before. She wanted to believe that this wasn't real, and that she was only imagining it - that she would wake up in her apartment in the morning to make her usual morning coffee and take her daughter to school, and that it would be as normal as any other typical day in the life of Bex Mack. But she knew what had happened was real, and she couldn't get it off her mind. The bright lights, the road... The border collie shook her head. She had to face the truth. The life that she used to live was now over.

The bicolored canine padded slowly through the plains, feeling a little more on edge than usual. Typically she was more relaxed, even in times of chaos, but being in an entirely new body of an entirely different species, wandering off to who knows where was the most terrifying and unusual thing she had ever experienced, and she was not having any of it. She was leaving so much that she loved behind, and just when things were finally starting to come together for her too. It was just her luck. And of course she couldn't help but worry about her daughter. This was going to destroy her.

Bex continued on though, trying to prevent herself from crying. Could dogs even cry? Was that a thing? She didn't think that they did, but she wasn't going to risk it either. Being a dog was odd. She still felt like herself but it was... different. Her senses were heightened, she was closer to the ground, and she had a tail. Those were changes she'd have to learn to get used to. Sighing, Bex moved forward a few more steps before picking up on a strange scent that seemed to be what another animal of some sort probably smelled like. Was there someone else around? "Uh... hello? Anyone there?" The collie called out, her voice filled with uncertainty and confusion as she stood still with narrowed eyes, waiting to see if anyone would reveal themselves to her.

[charrie graveyard]

x
x
x
x
x

[div style="text-align: justify;"]Joel had been through a lot in his life. Some of it was good... some of it was... traumatic... but a lot of it was, much like Bex in a sense, his fault. Yeah, he had done a lot of stupid things he regretted, like leaving his family behind and allowing himself to be taken by those... those bastard scientists who had treated him like nothing more than a test subject. A weapon- not a living thing. But being human? That was definitely not on his experience list. In fact, Joel was scared of humans. All they had done to him was hurt him- why should he trust them at all? Shaking his head, the starstruck guardian would swallow the lump that had formed in his throat, ignoring the clear shaking of his form as he walked along. That part of his life was over. He was safe here... no humans could hurt him now. Suddenly, the wolf picked up on the scent of an outsider... a joiner, maybe? Emerging from the brush as Bex spoke, he would give the collie a small, friendly smile, stepping a bit closer so he could speak, but still keeping distance between them in case she was hostile. "Hi, I'm Joel. This the Ascendants territory... uh, do you mind if I ask your business here? It's just standard procedure and all that junk..." Joel would say jokingly, rolling his eyes.

★ tags ★

[Roy Mustang]

It really wasn't everyday you wake up and discover you are no longer human, Roy would know. It was a strange and an extremely hard reality to accept, especially when it's unexpected. Roy hadn't been expecting it either, when it happened to him- he never meant to get himself caught in that transmutation circle. It wasn't his intention to get Riza caught in it either. The accident killed them both, and it pains Roy everyday to know that he failed his goal of reaching Fuhrer, and that he got Riza caught in it too. While Roy might not visibly show the pain, he definitely feels it. Roy would call the Ascendants a living hell. Maybe a punishment from Truth for getting caught in the worst taboo among all alchemists.

While living his new life here, Roy's trust in his groupmates were not gained very easily. Almost for a month or more, Roy didn't trust any of them. He questioned them almost everyday, didn't get to know them, and even demanded questions from all of them when he 'joined'. It has taken a lot of time and thought for Roy to place his trust in some groupmates- like Suiteheart, Margaery, & Rin, to name a few. It's actually surprised Roy a bit, he's found friendships with them as well, and some people(Suiteheart as a main example), helped pull him out of a dark place during a rough time. Any new member, Roy Mustang has zero trust- if they want to gain it, they better get to know the Flame Alchemist.

Roy was padding through the territory, padding along a familiar path. Roy was heading towards the field that he himself showed up in, padding along on three legs like he had four. It's been a long week for Roy- he accidentally got a bobcat kitten attached to him, and managed to convince it that he was her father. At first he was reluctant, but after bonding with the kitten for a few days(she almost literally never left his side), he decided to take her in and name her Aaliyah Mustang. Roy wasn't going to be out here for very long. He didn't want to risk leaving Aaliyah alone for too long, he wanted to make sure she was safe and out of harm. Who knew all the responsibility that came along with being a parent! Surely if Maes was able to handle this, then so can he.

As Roy padded along, the male came to a pause when he heard an unfamiliar voice. Ears pricking up, Roy listened carefully, picking up on the uncertainty and confusion that came along with it. Hmm, how interesting. Roy generally didn't approach joiners, Roy wasn't known to being the most friendly, but their tone caught his attention. The Flame Alchemist will investigate, but he's not going to welcome this stranger with open arms. Hell no. The bobcat changed his direction, padding towards the sound, and now scent that he just picked up.

By the time arrived, Joel was already greeting the stranger, who was a border collie. As he padded closer, he got a better look of her expression. She looked nervous, confused, and uncertain. Just like he had been months ago. "Give her some space," Roy commented at his fellow Starstruck Guardian, his gaze locking on her. "Now tell me, who exactly are you?" He began to question himself, sounding far more harsh than Joel. "And considering you're trespassing on our territory, you will tell us why you're here- whether you mind or not." He continued as his ears flattened to his skull, eyes blinking.

[Suiteheart]

[align=center][div style=" background-color: transparent; border: 0px solid black; width: 530px; min-height: 9px; font-family:; line-height: 110%; text-align: justify; padding: 20px"]Suiteheart was still reeling. After discovering she was an ancient soul and having lifetimes of memories pour into her head, she was not doing exceedingly well. Her head constantly felt blurry. Instances from over 100 years ago would play out in her mind's eye every few moments, each scene resembling what was occurring in front of her. She had gone to Warringkingdoms a few moments ago, asking for poppy seeds. It had calmed her down and soothed her troubled thoughts. It was... manageable. And so she would begin her patrol.

It hadn't taken long to stumble across Rebecca and Joel and Roy. A newcomer? It seemed so. Weaving a welcoming smile upon her lips, the white feline strolled forward. She let Joel do most of the talking, and for once, she was very thankful she didn't have to run through the whole routine. She was letting her exhaustion get to her. Gross.

"Hey, the name's Suiteheart," she began. She left it at that, only offering Bex a lopsided grin. Joel and Roy had covered the basics - anything else would be repetitive, and she didn't roll the way. However, upon catching Roy's harsh tone, she blinked and murmured, "Hey, Roy, it's alright, dude. She doesn't seem bad," before gently bumping into her friend.

[REBECCA MACK]

[align=center]
[div style="text-align: justify; width: 53%; font-family: georgia; font-size: 11pt; letter-spacing: -1px;"]Bex wouldn't admit it out loud, but she had nearly jumped in startle when she saw the wolf approach her. After a quick second of internal panic though she reminded herself that she too was now canine, and that caused her to relax a little. It was odd, listening as an animal spoke to her. But she was an animal too, and perhaps animals could just communicate with other animals? What was even odder was knowing that this was her reality now. She was just a dog talking to other dogs. Wonderful. "The Ascendants? What is that... is it like a gang?" It sure sounded like a gang. Wow, her mother would surely freak out if she had known that she had stumbled upon gang territory, if that was what this was. She tried to contain her laughter at the thought, but she just couldn't help but chuckle a little. "Sorry, I was just thinking ab-"

Just as she was about to give an explanation to her sudden burst of laughter as well as introduce herself, the border collie ended up getting cut off by a large wildcat. Oh, so there were cats in this gang too? This kitty didn't seem like the warmest patch of sunlight either. In fact, he appeared to be much more hostile than the wolf did. Bex felt her smile disappear as she listened to him speak. "Wow, thank you so much for the warm greeting," she grumbled sarcastically, rolling her eyes. "Trespassing? Well, I don't see a trespassing sign up anywhere. Maybe you should consider putting one up if you really don't want anyone wandering over here."

Not like she was one to actually obey those signs anyways. If there was a sign, she probably would've purposely trespassed just for the fun of it. If there was one thing that Bex seemed to lack, it was self control. "And I was going to tell you who I am before you blatantly interrupted me. My name is Rebecca Mack, but I just go by Bex. I was just walking around and I ended up here. I really don't have anywhere to stay," she admitted, and after finally getting her name and business out of the way just as everyone seemed to desire, she glanced over at the next to approach - another feline, but this one seeming more kind than Roy, and her name even acting as a symbol of that. "It's nice to meet you, and thank you," she woofed in response, this time her thank you being sincere as she returned the grin.

[Margaery]

[color=#b14767] ❁  ❁  ❁

Oh, boo! She was late.

But thinking about it, she realized that she didn’t care! What a shocker.

Margaery adored being punctual. Greeting newcomers was one of her strange - and dull - pastimes and Genevieve simply could not stand that. She knew that she was supposed to be protecting Margaery while she healed, but being expected to meet each joiner in a timely fashion? Unrealistic, especially for her. She cared too much for herself to dedicate any of her precious time to anybody else. And yet, she was here nonetheless, those copper-hued eyes of her studying Bex with faux curiosity. What a shame that this new girl was a dog. Then again, she supposed that it just made her all the more safer from Genevieve’s fangs. Canine blood and her condition did not mix. At all. Oh well.

Rolling her shoulders, the huntress would force something akin to a cold smile onto her face, tail swishing in the absent air behind her. [color=#b14767]”Genevieve Harper,” She greeted, taking but a brief moment to glare at the “love of her life” Suiteheart. She hoped that she was enjoying this too, it would be no fun if Suite wasn’t even slightly tormented by the fact that Margaery had gone missing in action. [color=#b15767]”I’m filling in for the ever lovely, Margaery. You’ll meet her one day, cutie pie,” She continued, humming. Was that all she needed to do? Could she go now? Who knew. This clan business was so dumb to Genevieve. Back in her prime, she existed as an assasin to kill these types of people. Ugh, Margaery’s life is so boring! Doesn’t she ever kill anyone? Stifling a groan, the chocolate point resigned to hanging around for a moment or two longer. Maybe things would be explained to her if she did.

[Suiteheart]

[align=center][div style=" background-color: transparent; border: 0px solid black; width: 530px; min-height: 9px; font-family:; line-height: 110%; text-align: justify; padding: 20px"]Suiteheart laughed at Bex's words, at her sass. It was almost refreshing to experience something like that as she often didn't get to bear witness to it. She maintained a goofy smile as the newcomer spoke, and she arched a fictional eyebrow at the same time. "Actually, there are signs. They're a way back." Her words were light and amusement colored them. She had worked damn hard on those border markers. Maybe she needed to make more... She filed away that thought for later, choosing to not bother worrying about it now.

"If you don't have anywhere to stay, you're welcome here," she meowed. The Ascendants was always in search of new members, and she thought it would be dumb to turn anyone down. Even if Bex was only passing through, why shouldn't they offer her a place to rest her head? They weren't barbaric. "If you'd like, you can even join us. We'd be happy to have you."

The Ecliptic Admiral opened her mouth to speak again, but Margaery - no, Genevieve, arrived. Disdain flared up in her baby blue eyes as she looked upon Margaery's former life that was now in control. She despised Genny, not because of who she was, but because of the way she spoke of Margy. It was disgusting. She remained silent as Genny spoke, too angry to react.

[★ HAZEL]

[align=center]

[table][tr][td]

[/td][td]

[/td][td]

[/td][td]

[/td][/tr][/table]

★  I NEVER HAD NOBODY TOUCH ME LIKE I’M G L A S S WITH A MOON BIRD KISS

Hazel had been trailing after Arion for a little while now, letting the colt run about and do as he pleased within a wider space than the perimeter of the observatory. It wasn’t fair to him that she had been so out-of-commission lately; he needed the exercise. Hazel had tried to send him out with Bastille and Octavia a couple times, but the Thoroughbred had stubbornly remained near her. It was...comforting.

Nevertheless, Hazel needed a trip out to the border. She needed to stretch her legs and take a breath of fresh air — something to clear her head from its muddled state. Hopefully it would help the bruising headache, as well. It just so happened that when the tree line of the southern border neared, there was a group surrounding a stranger. Another joiner, she supposed.

With a glance at Arion to make sure he wasn’t doing anything moronic, Hazel stepped up, facing the border collie with a friendly smile. “Yup,” She agreed with Suite, “you’re more than welcome to stay here. We live in the observatory back that way, towards the coast.” Hazel informed Bex, gesturing behind her with a wave of her tail. Turning back to the border collie, she tilted her head, taking in her slightly out-of-sorts appearance and deciding that her sense of humor would be welcome in the observatory. “And...apologies, I don’t think I caught your name. I’m Hazel, though.” She added after a moment, realizing she had joined the conversation a little late.

★ — hazel — "speech" — eight months — the ascendants — tags — ★

[sup]c) miithers[/sup]

[Roy Mustang]

"Hey Roy, it's alright dude." Roy's ears pricked up at Suiteheart's voice, glancing over at her when she gently bumped into him. "She doesn't seem bad." Roy blinked for a moment, looking over at his friend for a few good seconds. Roy couldn't exactly help it but have the hostile demeanor, he didn't come to trust people easily at all. Even if they don't seem that bad, like Suiteheart described. Roy, realizing now that Bex seemed to be in a similar situation to his joining experience, probably shouldn't have greeted her with that hostility. She was confused like him, he even noticed her questioning if the Ascendants were like a gang. She certainly wasn't questioning them all like he had, but she definitely has a sarcastic attitude when he sees one.

His gaze landed back on the border collie, when she began to speak to him directly. He didn't give much reaction to her comment regarding his 'warm greeting', he was well aware he was harsh to her, but instead, he frowned at the comment about trespassing. They didn't exactly need to put up signs when they have that bordered scent- perhaps she didn't pick up on it or didn't think much of it. "We actually have a border, perhaps you didn't notice it." Roy commented with a flick of his ear, before letting out a sigh.

"Roy Mustang," The male introduced himself to the female with a firm nod, keeping his gaze locked on her. He didn't bother to make a comment regarding Bex joining them like Suiteheart and Hazel did. His groupmates are well aware that Roy isn't that open/welcoming to new people. He couldn't see himself offering them to come into their territory with wide, open arms like they do. He doesn't mind if this Bex person comes to live with them, but she has to gain Roy's trust first before she can call him his friend.

[REBECCA MACK]

[align=center]
[div style="text-align: justify; width: 53%; font-family: georgia; font-size: 11pt; letter-spacing: -1px;"]Bex glanced over at another feline whom approached her now, introducing herself as Genevieve Harper. The collie gently nodded toward her in greeting, managing a smile. For a moment she felt herself wanting to ask what she meant exactly when she explained that she was 'filling in for Margaery', but then again there were so many other questions Bex wanted to ask as well. Nothing seemed to make sense to her anymore, so for now she just decided to not question anything. Just for now. What she needed to focus on at this moment was finding a place to stay, and well, everyone here seemed to be offering just that. "Oh, I must've missed them then," she replied to Suiteheart, chuckling lightly. Bex decided that out of everyone, Suiteheart seemed to be one of the friendliest here. If they really would let her stay, she could honestly imagine herself becoming friends with her.

"Maybe I will just have to join, then." She smiled as her tail began to wag in the air behind her. Her gaze now pointing in Hazel's direction, she offered a nod of greeting, happy that she too seemed to be fine with her staying. "Thank you! And my name is Bex. It's nice to meet you, Hazel." She was quite relieved to hear that they lived in this 'observatory' place. It didn't sound all that bad, so perhaps joining them was a good idea after all. Now looking back to Roy, the canine listened as he explained that they had a border, and she knew that she must've missed that too. Even if she had been paying more attention though, surely she would've crossed over and ended up in this situation anyways, but she wouldn't admit that out loud. Bex simply returned the nod, but didn't bother to say anything else. She just hoped that there wouldn't be any hard feelings between them. Despite how sarcastic and defensive she could be at times, she typically didn't pride in making enemies out of anyone.