Quinne runs into Cham, a fight ensues.
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Cham — 03/22/2024 7:39 PM
This was a dumb idea. Cham knew that it was, and that didn’t stop them. The birth of Funk Majesty had been less then two days announced. The purples would be up in arms, in chaos, and on alert. But maybe that would be an opportunity to go undetected. Get some on the ground info on the situation. Good idea? No, this was a dumb idea.
Cham was surprised how little attention they’d gotten so far. Swap a green jacket out for a purple and people suddenly thought you were one of theirs. Anyone who’d actually given them any hassle had quickly been absorbed in other drama. Cham was both enthralled and disgusted by the immediate reaction that had swept at least part of the purple’s territory. On the one hand, it was pure, joyous anarchy. People who had been lulled into a sense of security by the stability they’d taken for granted were waking up and realising just how messed up things are for the first time in ages. On the other hand, some of them were taking it too far. There hadn’t been many actively destroying things yet, but those that were were going crazy.
Cham lost track of where exactly they were in the pulse of tension that kept flowing through the place. They could feel it in their Vibe. The shadow of Lunar showing her face from under the mask, the sims she planted exposed. This place, however, was quiet. It looked deserted on a night when everything around it was lit up in neon.
The Grooveline
It looked like there was more then one story, maybe it would make a good vantage point? Cham took a hard right down a nearby alley. Find a back door, get upstairs, record notes, leave. You got this. Nice and easy
Quinne — 03/22/2024 7:58 PM
Quinne had been focused on keeping an eye on things after parting ways with Zeta after dealing with a couple Banditos, but that didn't mean they all cleared out. He was surprised by the turnout and he wasn't sure how to feel about it, although that didn't change the fact that Hide still had his very open support.
Going through alleys seemed a good choice, assuming people would try to be sneaky enough to avoid attention by slipping through less used areas. It seemed his intuition wasn't for naught! He flicked away the cigarette he had barely started, exhaling both smoke and an exasperated sigh.
"You having fun?" Quinne asked, leaning against a nearby wall and he waved a hand. Although knowing everyone in his district was difficult, something about Cham did seem shady.
Cham — 03/22/2024 8:05 PM
This wasn’t too much of an issue, right? Plan hasn’t gone according to, but this was salvageable.
Cham’s pasture didn’t so much change as naturally flow out of the cautious way they’d been walking. Whoever this was probably shouldn’t be back here either. So all Cham had to do was play it cool.
“Hey. Have you seen the stuff those ladies are doing down the street? It’s nuts. Guess we had the same idea? Play it safe, right?”
Who was this guy? He looked familiar. Maybe. Was meeting this guy one of those moments that slipped away again? Or did he just have one of those faces?
Quinne — 03/22/2024 8:15 PM
He didn't pay much mind to the change in Cham's stance, and he listened to him, clearing the taste of nicotine with a quick swallow. "Yeah, that's definitely what I'm doing." He offered sarcastically, as if there was much need for him to play it safely.
"And which way were you going to go after playing it safe, as you say? Maybe I can walk you back to where you need to be." As Cham said, things were a little nuts.
"I can help you get home."
Cham — 03/22/2024 8:19 PM
Cham gave their best smile and a feint chuckle, putting their hands in their pockets and taking a few steps back from the conversation.
“Nah man, not looking for company tonight. But you know, I’m sure you’ll pull someone else.” They quipped, trying to play off the nerves and just a lack of confidence.
“Whoever’s house you end up at, you’ll want to move soon though. Things rolling down the streets the way they are you don’t want to get caught in it.”
Quinne — 03/22/2024 8:25 PM
"I thought you were playing it safe, seems about the opposite of it if you're trying to skip away from protection." Suspicious!
Cham's next statement confused him, and Quinne raised his eyebrows, clicking his tongue against the roof of his mouth. "I think I'll be fine, honestly, not sure what you're implying? I take care of myself well."
He waved a hand, pushing away from the wall. "You should go home."
Cham — 03/22/2024 8:29 PM
Shit. This guy was not buying it for a second. Cham sighed. Was it worth it? They could just scout from another building. But this one had such a good overview of things. Damnit.
“Look, clearly we got off on the wrong foot here. We both need to get somewhere safe. Why don’t we just climb into this place? No one’s home. Could sit on the roof and wait out the chaos over a couple beers? How about it?”
Yea, this was either going to go over real well, or really, really badly.
Quinne — 03/22/2024 10:26 PM
"Now you want to socialize."
Quinne commented with an amused tone, despite his expression, but even that shifted to a smirk. "I guess if it means I can keep an eye on you, fine." He could figure out, perhaps, if the guy was meant to be there or not.
"I don't carry beers around with me, though, so you'll have to do without that."
Cham — 03/22/2024 10:32 PM
“That’s ok, they have beers in there for sure.” Cham started, walking towards the back door of The Grooveline and trying the handle. There was a short metallic click as the push bar moved a couple of millimetres and stopped suddenly, causing the shock to run up Cham’s arm and stop them in their tracks. Locked, obviously.
They cleared their throat, and gave another nervous smile. “You wouldn’t happen to have the keys or anything would you?”
Quinne — Yesterday at 8:03 AM
When Cham tried the back door, Quinne just stared at him. "Why did you think you'd get in that way? Back doors are usually for staff." In any building! Probably.
"I think the place is closed, on account of the...craziness. I don't work here, so no, I don't have the keys." He shrugged, crossing his arms. "I'm starting to think you're not supposed to be here."
Cham — Yesterday at 10:08 AM
“Well I don’t own the place. So no, I suppose I’m not supposed to be here. But hey man, you’re the one who told me to get to safety ASAP.” Cham smiled, the last hopes of defusing the the situation beginning to fade. Whatever this guy’s next response was, that was going to seal the deal. If this was a talk, run, or of fight night.
The ball of their foot twisted and buried itself in the ground. If they needed to run, they had solid footing to start. Their smile faded a bit as anticipation ran up their back and the inevitable sinking fear before a confrontation pitched their stomach. From their temples, two streaks of copper colouration ran down to the tips of their hair; a momentary flesh like the pulse of fear they’d felt was trying to escape.
Quinne — Yesterday at 5:52 PM
As he continued on, Quinne kept watching them. "I think you need to go home, wherever you're really supposed to be and I'm only going to suggest this once." Cham didn't come off as Bandito, there was less taunting than he was used to.
He said nothing when Cham prepared to run. However, when their hair changed color, he shifted in preparation of what he assumed was the start of a confrontation as well. "Whatever you're about to do; you probably shouldn't."
Cham — Yesterday at 6:22 PM
Cham let out a deep sigh and let go of the handle of the door, foot still planted in the ground. There was another small crunch as the muscles in their leg tensed and drove the dirt further down.
“Yea. Yea, I really shouldn’t.”
They closed their eyes. Feeling the pulse of the Groove, the humming of their Vibe again. It was muted at night; the prickling golden feeling of being under the radiance of the Solar Crown was absent. But the moonlight was good enough. Their other foot began to bounce slightly as they felt the rythem of the world around them. The hum of neon, the beat of vandalism three blocks over, the breathing of the two in this alley.
Their body began to sway in beat with the atonal ambient beat of the environment, feet started to move back and forth. Their eyes opened.
Still moving to the arythmic march of the world around them, Cham began to rush forwards, and in one fluid motion, kicked up from the dirt to the beat. They swung their leg out, more to throw whoever this was off balance then to actually hurt them.
It was time to find out what this person could do, and Cham’s Vibe was ecstatic about it.
Quinne — Yesterday at 6:29 PM
There it was; Cham was going to push their luck. Quinne certainly welcomed it.
As they worked on gathering their vibe, so did Quinne. His style of dancing was easier with another person, but he still had some moves to work with. Cham keeping their eyes closed was probably not a good plan, but Quinne didn't go into the offensive.
When they swung their leg out, there was a good chance Cham would instead connect with the glass wall between them. A quick movement of his feet and he'd send the wall towards Cham, intent on knocking him back with it. Hard, too, if he succeeded.
"Oops, probably should be watching me."
Cham — Yesterday at 6:37 PM
Cham’s foot hit the glass heel first, the pain cracking down their leg and forcing them to retract it. Luckily enough, that’s what saved them from getting shoved too hard. Their footing let them push off and over the glass, the tips of their fingers and their Crocs both smushing in slightly in a rubbery, almost unnatural, and most defiantly painful way to help them grip the smooth surface. Cham landed in a roll, getting right back to their feet and feeling the breakbeat of glass smashing on the wall behind them. The rapid movement that followed was all flare and no substance, but it seemed to be getting Cham’s battery going anyway. Freckles began to appear on their skin in random, dispersed patterns that vibrated and danced around excitedly at the sight of another Vibe.
Thats a different one Cham thought. Or maybe their Vibe did. It didn’t matter, it was exciting.
Cham didn’t immediately attack again. Now they had the rhythm and their body was following it’s unconventional time signature, they were aware. Oh boy, we’re they aware.
Quinne — Yesterday at 6:41 PM
The glass shattering was of no concern, it did its job and he waved a hand to make the larger chunks float up into the air. As he often did, Quinne pointed each and every point towards the other Stepper. A quiet threat, but the one warning had been ignored.
He didn't lash out, he merely waited. A couple careful back steps, and the FM brought a couple shards infront of himself - a precaution incase Cham decided to rush him again.
He was quiet now, focused.
Cham — Yesterday at 6:53 PM
Cham didn’t approach for another few beats, continuing to build motion and continuing to let the feelings around them determine their pace. Now there was the ringing and clinking of glass moving through the air. Safe to say what this guy’s vibe was now, for certain.
Cham smiled, the freckles becoming a dancing array of different skin tones that shifted around, thin green streaks portending their path as Cham reached a hand up, and flicked their wrist.
No one could see it, not even Cham, but that piece of their opponent, the essence of what made them them, a fraction of the fullness of their Vibe, became clear to Cham in that moment.
They jumped into the air, legs spread apart as they pushed both their arms out forwards towards their opponent. The dancing glass shards that had hovered behind Cham shot forward like a sea of knives that slid underneath their jump and shot out towards this fucking guy.
You like playing with glass, eat some.
Quinne — Yesterday at 8:25 PM
He wasn't unused to vibepires and certainly not a fan, especially having to deal with one. The upside was that he figured he had a better imagination when it came to what he could make.
Another wall of glass, but Quinne was determined to reshape everything thrown at him into something more. Another few quick steps, a shuffle, and his intentions were to trap Cham in a restructured glass cage of sorts.
If that went well, he'd seek to send it towards one of the walls, hopefully with Cham still inside. It might break...or just rattle the poor Square.
Cham — Yesterday at 8:33 PM
Cham landed on their feet, listening to the shattering and chipping of dozens of little blades of glass chinking into another flat wall.
They took a deep breath, twisting and pacing as they got lost in the euphoria of the chaotic resonances around them, body moving like they were having a rave in an MMA ring. They’d said a night prior that they weren’t about the throw downs. That they would rather talk things out. That may have been true, but there was no feeling like the dance between two hearts beating their hardest to win.
They began to gather again, waiting for whatever plan their opponent was going to concoct rather then take the lead. That’s how they liked it: respond to stimulus. They think they might have laughed a little. They couldn’t be sure.
Quinne — Yesterday at 8:39 PM
Quinne didn't really expect them to sit still, but it was worth a shot, right?
The cage got nothing, but more dance moves and he decided on something more blunt. Pellet shaped spheres and he set sent those towards Cham immediately, intent on pelting them with those to the point of possibly sending him running.
Quinne made an effort to avoid their face, but...anything could happen.
Cham — Yesterday at 8:45 PM
The pellets shot out like heavy, potentially deadly BB’s. Cham wasn’t used to avoiding something g so… bullet like.
They took a step forward, throwing all their weight up, and twisting at the hip, jumping into the air with enough momentum to take their hips above head level.
The glass bullets shot by, one grazing Cham’s purple bomber jacket. The jacket started to bleed a little. With a wince, Cham brought their foot down towards this guy’s head, this time aiming for a huge smash to the top of the head with their heel as they came back down from the acrobatic jump. (edited)
Quinne — Yesterday at 9:03 PM
The pellets didn't do as much as he hoped, but he did have to pause. Was the jacket bleeding?
It cost some precious time, and he brought an arm up, but it did nothing to really stop the hit to his head. Lessened the severity, maybe. Quinne sought to take advantage of Cham's position, and it wasn't his vibe he'd use, but he aimed to use the momentum to throw the other Stepper down onto their back.
Hopefully that went well.
Cham — Yesterday at 9:14 PM
The blow connected, but it wasn’t exactly how Cham had envisioned it. There was a strong brace against their shin that took part of it. As Cham’s other foot came down to land on the ground, they hoped that the force that did smash this guy in the head was enough.
But it wasn’t. Cham felt a yank, and they were whipped before their foot had fully rested, pulling them sideways and down onto their back. In the space between the kick and the landing, Cham felt their Vibe shuddering again. The sudden pull had filled them with anxiety, and their eyes defined themselves from pale yellow to sea blue for a split second as they looked into the face of the man who pulled them.
They landed hard on their back, but they weren’t out yet. This guy was going to try and finish this. Cham was going to turn whatever intentions he had on their head.
Quinne — Yesterday at 9:29 PM
Things were not going great, and a great deal of it was both tiring him out and frustrating him. Generally not a good combination for this particular FM.
Cham was down on the ground and he stared down at them, gritting his teeth. "You should have just left." His head ached, and he tried to ignore the growing soreness, gathering up the glass again. Nothing sharp, just blunt, and he'd return the favour of a strike to the head with a pole-shaped glass-weapon.
To the side of the head. Cham could take a headache home too, he decided....or maybe just a vendy close to the border. Either way, Quinne would be seeing them leave.
Cham — Yesterday at 9:40 PM
Cham didn’t get to give a response, the follow up blow came too quickly. As the glass gathered into. A new shape, Cham tried to manipulate it. Their opponent was tired and injured, but they were still had mastery over their own Vibe. Cham did not, and they didn’t have enough left in them to do too much.
Loosing in the battle for control of the glass, they lost concentration on everything else. The same green ripples that had been causing patches of skin to change tone now took on a wilder, more sketchy path as it began to reshape Cham’s face. The texture of the skin bubbled and reset itself, their hair changing texture, their eyes becoming somewhat… normal. In the moment before the glass staff smashed into the side of Cham’s head, their face was Quinne’s face. Then the hit.
Cham heard ringing as the blood in their ears screamed out in pain. The world flashed white, then a veil of static that blurred their sight for a moment as their brain tried to understand what had just happened. They were stunned, and just as quickly as they had looked like Quinne, it was gone.
Cham groaned, laying on the ground, groggy from the blow. As their eyes finally refocused, they saw Quinn stood above them. Oops.
Quinne — Yesterday at 10:00 PM
The bleeding jacket was one thing, but the strange, rapid changes that came over Cham's face had him almost pause. But, nope, that blow still came. "....Interesting." In a morbid sort of way, he was sort of looking down at his own face for a moment or two.
He straightened up, taking the time to make the glass around them dematerialize as quickly as it had appeared. "I don't think I'm a fan of your vibe or what just...happened." He wondered if that was from the vibe, but Cham had been stunned.
"You need to go home. Now. I'm not going to take anything from you for winning, so get up."
Cham — Today at 8:43 AM
Cham took a moment to register what was being said, before propping themselves up with their elbows. The feeling of being in tune with their surroundings was gone. Now they just had a headache.
They reached up to their head to feel for any injuries. The skin wasn’t split, but already the unbearable tenderness of a bruise was beginning to register. They groaned a little.
“Glass is a weird one. I’ve seen fire, and water, metal… but glass?” Cham was talking openly, conversationally, as if they didn’t just have a fight in this alley. They picked themselves up, stumbling slightly and holding the side of their head.
“Can I at least get your name? I’d like to know who just whooped my ass.”
Quinne — Today at 9:00 AM
Quinne gave them a bit of space when they sat up and he leaned his weight into the pole, as if it was a cane. "It's not so weird when you think about what I can do and make with it, very profitable outside of fights." Much like metal, but he hadn't met anyone else with the same vibe.
"It's Quinne Lawson." No harm in giving it, the FM figured they'd find out if they asked around or something.
He continued to relax, but mostly in hopes it'd take some of the edge off his own headache.
Cham — Today at 9:13 AM
“Yea, profitable.” Cham muttered, shaking their head to finally disperse the last effects of the blow.
Cham talk a few steps back from Quinne and rolled their shoulders. They might have pulled something a little during that fall. That’s what you get for not limbering up first. They pointed to the building, and the door they’d tried to open before.
“Look, you seem like a nice enough guy. Im not a ‘Dito, and I’m sure as hell not UG. I’m just trying to get a lay of how things are over here, because I don’t want FM business spilling over into the RD and wrecking the place again. I was trying to get in here to get a good view of the area.
But, I respect the fact you won. So I’m going to leave. But I need to be able to protect my people. Perhaps instead, we could work out a deal? You keep me updated on if anything over here is going to be a problem for me and mine, and I’ll let you in on anything I hear about Ditos or UG thinking of swinging your way?”
Quinne — Today at 10:02 AM
Being called nice amused him, because he certainly wasn't that to anyone outside FM and even then, he liked to make fun (affectionately) to those in his faction. "I had a feeling you weren't UG." They would've atleast known who he was, if so. "I don't think spying here would've told you anything, maybe keep to that part of the city."
He could atleast notice if more new faces showed up.
"I'm listening." Quinne didn't have much of a bias against Squares, and turning something to the advantage of himself and his faction was not something to dismiss. "I'll have to figure out how to work this out, I'm not interested in giving away plans my Faction has." He was far too loyal for that. "If there's anything else you'd like instead."
Cham — Today at 10:16 AM
“No.” Cham responded simply, letting their body relax a bit more now negotiations seemed to be underway.
“Im not asking you to betray any big secrets. Im not interested in any and all things FM. All I’m asking for is enough info on what the new boss has planned, that if I need to, I can warn people to get in and stay put, rather then risking innocent people getting hurt in the crossfire. The Dito takeover and the force both factions hit back with has pushed back reconstruction efforts to a degree, and hurt people. All I’m trying to do is look after those who don’t want anything to do with your stupid territorial disputes.”
Quinne — Today at 10:20 AM
"Just Squares then, not Ditos. I wouldn't consider them as part of the 'innocent people' description, but if you use this as a means to counter anything, I will come for you personally and I won't merely give you a headache," Fair warning!
Quinne wasn't about to be sneaky about it, it was certainly something he'd be approaching Hide with. He took out his phone, so he could offer them his number. "Don't try to fuck me over."
Cham — Today at 10:31 AM
Cham nodded, reaching into their own picket to grab their phone, only now noticing the cut in their coat, and flinching a bit as they pulled their hand out of the pocket next to it.
“I can only promise that I won’t spread the word to Ditos. If a few of them catch wind of what you’re doing then that’s the beauty of information dissemination working the way it has for hundreds of years.
But yea, I’m not going to mount a counter offensive with squares. How do you think I’d even manage that?”
Quinne — Today at 11:42 AM
"Why does your jacket bleed?"
Quinne figured such a question wasn't abnormal for them...maybe. Depending on how often it got cut, perhaps.
"I don't know, maybe you're just that inspiring." The FM smirked, and he tucked his phone away after information was exchanged. "I have to consider everything, as anyone should, in such a case. I'm going to go home now."
Cham — Today at 11:52 AM
“Oh, this? Hmmmm. Well… I guess… most people seem to wear clothes, but the clothes are me.”
As if to add emphasis to the insane statement, Cham tensed up, and the jacket sank into their skin like it would sink into a bog, merging with them and disappearing inside of them. The cut that had been on the edge of the jacket now sat squarely on Cham’s side, cut into the black tank top that they had been wearing underneath.
Once the info was exchanged, Cham put the phone into one of their trouser pockets. “Of course, wouldn’t you trust this face?” Cham asked semi-sarcastically, fluttering their eyes, which changed from their I’ll defined pale yellow to an assortment of different styles and colours of eye between each beat of the lashes. They paused when they were done , and rubbed the back of their neck, still apparently a little sore from the hard landing and harder crack to the face.
“Thanks, by the way. I know how up in arms you big faction folk can get about little old squares getting up in your stuff.”
Quinne — Today at 12:16 PM
It was safe to say Quinne was intrigued by that, but he kept any questions to himself. Still, he watched quietly and inclined his head. "I did trust you to just wave your hands and go home, but then you know...you went for a fight." He pointed out, straightening his posture.
"Yeah, yeah, so you say. I'll keep you posted." As long as they kept up their end of the deal.
He stepped away, then, taking out his phone again to send someone a quick text on his way home.
Cham — Today at 2:02 PM
Well, this was better then another hit to the head. Strange how things never went how they intended. Sol was clearly guiding them. After all, how often does getting your shit pushed in down an alley get a connection with an… ally? Enemy? Informant? Whatever the hell was going to come from this.
They quickly made their way from the alley and back into the street, eyes alert as they pushed their way back the way they came. Back home.
This was a dumb idea. Cham knew that it was, and that didn’t stop them. The birth of Funk Majesty had been less then two days announced. The purples would be up in arms, in chaos, and on alert. But maybe that would be an opportunity to go undetected. Get some on the ground info on the situation. Good idea? No, this was a dumb idea.
Cham was surprised how little attention they’d gotten so far. Swap a green jacket out for a purple and people suddenly thought you were one of theirs. Anyone who’d actually given them any hassle had quickly been absorbed in other drama. Cham was both enthralled and disgusted by the immediate reaction that had swept at least part of the purple’s territory. On the one hand, it was pure, joyous anarchy. People who had been lulled into a sense of security by the stability they’d taken for granted were waking up and realising just how messed up things are for the first time in ages. On the other hand, some of them were taking it too far. There hadn’t been many actively destroying things yet, but those that were were going crazy.
Cham lost track of where exactly they were in the pulse of tension that kept flowing through the place. They could feel it in their Vibe. The shadow of Lunar showing her face from under the mask, the sims she planted exposed. This place, however, was quiet. It looked deserted on a night when everything around it was lit up in neon.
The Grooveline
It looked like there was more then one story, maybe it would make a good vantage point? Cham took a hard right down a nearby alley. Find a back door, get upstairs, record notes, leave. You got this. Nice and easy
Quinne — 03/22/2024 7:58 PM
Quinne had been focused on keeping an eye on things after parting ways with Zeta after dealing with a couple Banditos, but that didn't mean they all cleared out. He was surprised by the turnout and he wasn't sure how to feel about it, although that didn't change the fact that Hide still had his very open support.
Going through alleys seemed a good choice, assuming people would try to be sneaky enough to avoid attention by slipping through less used areas. It seemed his intuition wasn't for naught! He flicked away the cigarette he had barely started, exhaling both smoke and an exasperated sigh.
"You having fun?" Quinne asked, leaning against a nearby wall and he waved a hand. Although knowing everyone in his district was difficult, something about Cham did seem shady.
Cham — 03/22/2024 8:05 PM
This wasn’t too much of an issue, right? Plan hasn’t gone according to, but this was salvageable.
Cham’s pasture didn’t so much change as naturally flow out of the cautious way they’d been walking. Whoever this was probably shouldn’t be back here either. So all Cham had to do was play it cool.
“Hey. Have you seen the stuff those ladies are doing down the street? It’s nuts. Guess we had the same idea? Play it safe, right?”
Who was this guy? He looked familiar. Maybe. Was meeting this guy one of those moments that slipped away again? Or did he just have one of those faces?
Quinne — 03/22/2024 8:15 PM
He didn't pay much mind to the change in Cham's stance, and he listened to him, clearing the taste of nicotine with a quick swallow. "Yeah, that's definitely what I'm doing." He offered sarcastically, as if there was much need for him to play it safely.
"And which way were you going to go after playing it safe, as you say? Maybe I can walk you back to where you need to be." As Cham said, things were a little nuts.
"I can help you get home."
Cham — 03/22/2024 8:19 PM
Cham gave their best smile and a feint chuckle, putting their hands in their pockets and taking a few steps back from the conversation.
“Nah man, not looking for company tonight. But you know, I’m sure you’ll pull someone else.” They quipped, trying to play off the nerves and just a lack of confidence.
“Whoever’s house you end up at, you’ll want to move soon though. Things rolling down the streets the way they are you don’t want to get caught in it.”
Quinne — 03/22/2024 8:25 PM
"I thought you were playing it safe, seems about the opposite of it if you're trying to skip away from protection." Suspicious!
Cham's next statement confused him, and Quinne raised his eyebrows, clicking his tongue against the roof of his mouth. "I think I'll be fine, honestly, not sure what you're implying? I take care of myself well."
He waved a hand, pushing away from the wall. "You should go home."
Cham — 03/22/2024 8:29 PM
Shit. This guy was not buying it for a second. Cham sighed. Was it worth it? They could just scout from another building. But this one had such a good overview of things. Damnit.
“Look, clearly we got off on the wrong foot here. We both need to get somewhere safe. Why don’t we just climb into this place? No one’s home. Could sit on the roof and wait out the chaos over a couple beers? How about it?”
Yea, this was either going to go over real well, or really, really badly.
Quinne — 03/22/2024 10:26 PM
"Now you want to socialize."
Quinne commented with an amused tone, despite his expression, but even that shifted to a smirk. "I guess if it means I can keep an eye on you, fine." He could figure out, perhaps, if the guy was meant to be there or not.
"I don't carry beers around with me, though, so you'll have to do without that."
Cham — 03/22/2024 10:32 PM
“That’s ok, they have beers in there for sure.” Cham started, walking towards the back door of The Grooveline and trying the handle. There was a short metallic click as the push bar moved a couple of millimetres and stopped suddenly, causing the shock to run up Cham’s arm and stop them in their tracks. Locked, obviously.
They cleared their throat, and gave another nervous smile. “You wouldn’t happen to have the keys or anything would you?”
Quinne — Yesterday at 8:03 AM
When Cham tried the back door, Quinne just stared at him. "Why did you think you'd get in that way? Back doors are usually for staff." In any building! Probably.
"I think the place is closed, on account of the...craziness. I don't work here, so no, I don't have the keys." He shrugged, crossing his arms. "I'm starting to think you're not supposed to be here."
Cham — Yesterday at 10:08 AM
“Well I don’t own the place. So no, I suppose I’m not supposed to be here. But hey man, you’re the one who told me to get to safety ASAP.” Cham smiled, the last hopes of defusing the the situation beginning to fade. Whatever this guy’s next response was, that was going to seal the deal. If this was a talk, run, or of fight night.
The ball of their foot twisted and buried itself in the ground. If they needed to run, they had solid footing to start. Their smile faded a bit as anticipation ran up their back and the inevitable sinking fear before a confrontation pitched their stomach. From their temples, two streaks of copper colouration ran down to the tips of their hair; a momentary flesh like the pulse of fear they’d felt was trying to escape.
Quinne — Yesterday at 5:52 PM
As he continued on, Quinne kept watching them. "I think you need to go home, wherever you're really supposed to be and I'm only going to suggest this once." Cham didn't come off as Bandito, there was less taunting than he was used to.
He said nothing when Cham prepared to run. However, when their hair changed color, he shifted in preparation of what he assumed was the start of a confrontation as well. "Whatever you're about to do; you probably shouldn't."
Cham — Yesterday at 6:22 PM
Cham let out a deep sigh and let go of the handle of the door, foot still planted in the ground. There was another small crunch as the muscles in their leg tensed and drove the dirt further down.
“Yea. Yea, I really shouldn’t.”
They closed their eyes. Feeling the pulse of the Groove, the humming of their Vibe again. It was muted at night; the prickling golden feeling of being under the radiance of the Solar Crown was absent. But the moonlight was good enough. Their other foot began to bounce slightly as they felt the rythem of the world around them. The hum of neon, the beat of vandalism three blocks over, the breathing of the two in this alley.
Their body began to sway in beat with the atonal ambient beat of the environment, feet started to move back and forth. Their eyes opened.
Still moving to the arythmic march of the world around them, Cham began to rush forwards, and in one fluid motion, kicked up from the dirt to the beat. They swung their leg out, more to throw whoever this was off balance then to actually hurt them.
It was time to find out what this person could do, and Cham’s Vibe was ecstatic about it.
Quinne — Yesterday at 6:29 PM
There it was; Cham was going to push their luck. Quinne certainly welcomed it.
As they worked on gathering their vibe, so did Quinne. His style of dancing was easier with another person, but he still had some moves to work with. Cham keeping their eyes closed was probably not a good plan, but Quinne didn't go into the offensive.
When they swung their leg out, there was a good chance Cham would instead connect with the glass wall between them. A quick movement of his feet and he'd send the wall towards Cham, intent on knocking him back with it. Hard, too, if he succeeded.
"Oops, probably should be watching me."
Cham — Yesterday at 6:37 PM
Cham’s foot hit the glass heel first, the pain cracking down their leg and forcing them to retract it. Luckily enough, that’s what saved them from getting shoved too hard. Their footing let them push off and over the glass, the tips of their fingers and their Crocs both smushing in slightly in a rubbery, almost unnatural, and most defiantly painful way to help them grip the smooth surface. Cham landed in a roll, getting right back to their feet and feeling the breakbeat of glass smashing on the wall behind them. The rapid movement that followed was all flare and no substance, but it seemed to be getting Cham’s battery going anyway. Freckles began to appear on their skin in random, dispersed patterns that vibrated and danced around excitedly at the sight of another Vibe.
Thats a different one Cham thought. Or maybe their Vibe did. It didn’t matter, it was exciting.
Cham didn’t immediately attack again. Now they had the rhythm and their body was following it’s unconventional time signature, they were aware. Oh boy, we’re they aware.
Quinne — Yesterday at 6:41 PM
The glass shattering was of no concern, it did its job and he waved a hand to make the larger chunks float up into the air. As he often did, Quinne pointed each and every point towards the other Stepper. A quiet threat, but the one warning had been ignored.
He didn't lash out, he merely waited. A couple careful back steps, and the FM brought a couple shards infront of himself - a precaution incase Cham decided to rush him again.
He was quiet now, focused.
Cham — Yesterday at 6:53 PM
Cham didn’t approach for another few beats, continuing to build motion and continuing to let the feelings around them determine their pace. Now there was the ringing and clinking of glass moving through the air. Safe to say what this guy’s vibe was now, for certain.
Cham smiled, the freckles becoming a dancing array of different skin tones that shifted around, thin green streaks portending their path as Cham reached a hand up, and flicked their wrist.
No one could see it, not even Cham, but that piece of their opponent, the essence of what made them them, a fraction of the fullness of their Vibe, became clear to Cham in that moment.
They jumped into the air, legs spread apart as they pushed both their arms out forwards towards their opponent. The dancing glass shards that had hovered behind Cham shot forward like a sea of knives that slid underneath their jump and shot out towards this fucking guy.
You like playing with glass, eat some.
Quinne — Yesterday at 8:25 PM
He wasn't unused to vibepires and certainly not a fan, especially having to deal with one. The upside was that he figured he had a better imagination when it came to what he could make.
Another wall of glass, but Quinne was determined to reshape everything thrown at him into something more. Another few quick steps, a shuffle, and his intentions were to trap Cham in a restructured glass cage of sorts.
If that went well, he'd seek to send it towards one of the walls, hopefully with Cham still inside. It might break...or just rattle the poor Square.
Cham — Yesterday at 8:33 PM
Cham landed on their feet, listening to the shattering and chipping of dozens of little blades of glass chinking into another flat wall.
They took a deep breath, twisting and pacing as they got lost in the euphoria of the chaotic resonances around them, body moving like they were having a rave in an MMA ring. They’d said a night prior that they weren’t about the throw downs. That they would rather talk things out. That may have been true, but there was no feeling like the dance between two hearts beating their hardest to win.
They began to gather again, waiting for whatever plan their opponent was going to concoct rather then take the lead. That’s how they liked it: respond to stimulus. They think they might have laughed a little. They couldn’t be sure.
Quinne — Yesterday at 8:39 PM
Quinne didn't really expect them to sit still, but it was worth a shot, right?
The cage got nothing, but more dance moves and he decided on something more blunt. Pellet shaped spheres and he set sent those towards Cham immediately, intent on pelting them with those to the point of possibly sending him running.
Quinne made an effort to avoid their face, but...anything could happen.
Cham — Yesterday at 8:45 PM
The pellets shot out like heavy, potentially deadly BB’s. Cham wasn’t used to avoiding something g so… bullet like.
They took a step forward, throwing all their weight up, and twisting at the hip, jumping into the air with enough momentum to take their hips above head level.
The glass bullets shot by, one grazing Cham’s purple bomber jacket. The jacket started to bleed a little. With a wince, Cham brought their foot down towards this guy’s head, this time aiming for a huge smash to the top of the head with their heel as they came back down from the acrobatic jump. (edited)
Quinne — Yesterday at 9:03 PM
The pellets didn't do as much as he hoped, but he did have to pause. Was the jacket bleeding?
It cost some precious time, and he brought an arm up, but it did nothing to really stop the hit to his head. Lessened the severity, maybe. Quinne sought to take advantage of Cham's position, and it wasn't his vibe he'd use, but he aimed to use the momentum to throw the other Stepper down onto their back.
Hopefully that went well.
Cham — Yesterday at 9:14 PM
The blow connected, but it wasn’t exactly how Cham had envisioned it. There was a strong brace against their shin that took part of it. As Cham’s other foot came down to land on the ground, they hoped that the force that did smash this guy in the head was enough.
But it wasn’t. Cham felt a yank, and they were whipped before their foot had fully rested, pulling them sideways and down onto their back. In the space between the kick and the landing, Cham felt their Vibe shuddering again. The sudden pull had filled them with anxiety, and their eyes defined themselves from pale yellow to sea blue for a split second as they looked into the face of the man who pulled them.
They landed hard on their back, but they weren’t out yet. This guy was going to try and finish this. Cham was going to turn whatever intentions he had on their head.
Quinne — Yesterday at 9:29 PM
Things were not going great, and a great deal of it was both tiring him out and frustrating him. Generally not a good combination for this particular FM.
Cham was down on the ground and he stared down at them, gritting his teeth. "You should have just left." His head ached, and he tried to ignore the growing soreness, gathering up the glass again. Nothing sharp, just blunt, and he'd return the favour of a strike to the head with a pole-shaped glass-weapon.
To the side of the head. Cham could take a headache home too, he decided....or maybe just a vendy close to the border. Either way, Quinne would be seeing them leave.
Cham — Yesterday at 9:40 PM
Cham didn’t get to give a response, the follow up blow came too quickly. As the glass gathered into. A new shape, Cham tried to manipulate it. Their opponent was tired and injured, but they were still had mastery over their own Vibe. Cham did not, and they didn’t have enough left in them to do too much.
Loosing in the battle for control of the glass, they lost concentration on everything else. The same green ripples that had been causing patches of skin to change tone now took on a wilder, more sketchy path as it began to reshape Cham’s face. The texture of the skin bubbled and reset itself, their hair changing texture, their eyes becoming somewhat… normal. In the moment before the glass staff smashed into the side of Cham’s head, their face was Quinne’s face. Then the hit.
Cham heard ringing as the blood in their ears screamed out in pain. The world flashed white, then a veil of static that blurred their sight for a moment as their brain tried to understand what had just happened. They were stunned, and just as quickly as they had looked like Quinne, it was gone.
Cham groaned, laying on the ground, groggy from the blow. As their eyes finally refocused, they saw Quinn stood above them. Oops.
Quinne — Yesterday at 10:00 PM
The bleeding jacket was one thing, but the strange, rapid changes that came over Cham's face had him almost pause. But, nope, that blow still came. "....Interesting." In a morbid sort of way, he was sort of looking down at his own face for a moment or two.
He straightened up, taking the time to make the glass around them dematerialize as quickly as it had appeared. "I don't think I'm a fan of your vibe or what just...happened." He wondered if that was from the vibe, but Cham had been stunned.
"You need to go home. Now. I'm not going to take anything from you for winning, so get up."
Cham — Today at 8:43 AM
Cham took a moment to register what was being said, before propping themselves up with their elbows. The feeling of being in tune with their surroundings was gone. Now they just had a headache.
They reached up to their head to feel for any injuries. The skin wasn’t split, but already the unbearable tenderness of a bruise was beginning to register. They groaned a little.
“Glass is a weird one. I’ve seen fire, and water, metal… but glass?” Cham was talking openly, conversationally, as if they didn’t just have a fight in this alley. They picked themselves up, stumbling slightly and holding the side of their head.
“Can I at least get your name? I’d like to know who just whooped my ass.”
Quinne — Today at 9:00 AM
Quinne gave them a bit of space when they sat up and he leaned his weight into the pole, as if it was a cane. "It's not so weird when you think about what I can do and make with it, very profitable outside of fights." Much like metal, but he hadn't met anyone else with the same vibe.
"It's Quinne Lawson." No harm in giving it, the FM figured they'd find out if they asked around or something.
He continued to relax, but mostly in hopes it'd take some of the edge off his own headache.
Cham — Today at 9:13 AM
“Yea, profitable.” Cham muttered, shaking their head to finally disperse the last effects of the blow.
Cham talk a few steps back from Quinne and rolled their shoulders. They might have pulled something a little during that fall. That’s what you get for not limbering up first. They pointed to the building, and the door they’d tried to open before.
“Look, you seem like a nice enough guy. Im not a ‘Dito, and I’m sure as hell not UG. I’m just trying to get a lay of how things are over here, because I don’t want FM business spilling over into the RD and wrecking the place again. I was trying to get in here to get a good view of the area.
But, I respect the fact you won. So I’m going to leave. But I need to be able to protect my people. Perhaps instead, we could work out a deal? You keep me updated on if anything over here is going to be a problem for me and mine, and I’ll let you in on anything I hear about Ditos or UG thinking of swinging your way?”
Quinne — Today at 10:02 AM
Being called nice amused him, because he certainly wasn't that to anyone outside FM and even then, he liked to make fun (affectionately) to those in his faction. "I had a feeling you weren't UG." They would've atleast known who he was, if so. "I don't think spying here would've told you anything, maybe keep to that part of the city."
He could atleast notice if more new faces showed up.
"I'm listening." Quinne didn't have much of a bias against Squares, and turning something to the advantage of himself and his faction was not something to dismiss. "I'll have to figure out how to work this out, I'm not interested in giving away plans my Faction has." He was far too loyal for that. "If there's anything else you'd like instead."
Cham — Today at 10:16 AM
“No.” Cham responded simply, letting their body relax a bit more now negotiations seemed to be underway.
“Im not asking you to betray any big secrets. Im not interested in any and all things FM. All I’m asking for is enough info on what the new boss has planned, that if I need to, I can warn people to get in and stay put, rather then risking innocent people getting hurt in the crossfire. The Dito takeover and the force both factions hit back with has pushed back reconstruction efforts to a degree, and hurt people. All I’m trying to do is look after those who don’t want anything to do with your stupid territorial disputes.”
Quinne — Today at 10:20 AM
"Just Squares then, not Ditos. I wouldn't consider them as part of the 'innocent people' description, but if you use this as a means to counter anything, I will come for you personally and I won't merely give you a headache," Fair warning!
Quinne wasn't about to be sneaky about it, it was certainly something he'd be approaching Hide with. He took out his phone, so he could offer them his number. "Don't try to fuck me over."
Cham — Today at 10:31 AM
Cham nodded, reaching into their own picket to grab their phone, only now noticing the cut in their coat, and flinching a bit as they pulled their hand out of the pocket next to it.
“I can only promise that I won’t spread the word to Ditos. If a few of them catch wind of what you’re doing then that’s the beauty of information dissemination working the way it has for hundreds of years.
But yea, I’m not going to mount a counter offensive with squares. How do you think I’d even manage that?”
Quinne — Today at 11:42 AM
"Why does your jacket bleed?"
Quinne figured such a question wasn't abnormal for them...maybe. Depending on how often it got cut, perhaps.
"I don't know, maybe you're just that inspiring." The FM smirked, and he tucked his phone away after information was exchanged. "I have to consider everything, as anyone should, in such a case. I'm going to go home now."
Cham — Today at 11:52 AM
“Oh, this? Hmmmm. Well… I guess… most people seem to wear clothes, but the clothes are me.”
As if to add emphasis to the insane statement, Cham tensed up, and the jacket sank into their skin like it would sink into a bog, merging with them and disappearing inside of them. The cut that had been on the edge of the jacket now sat squarely on Cham’s side, cut into the black tank top that they had been wearing underneath.
Once the info was exchanged, Cham put the phone into one of their trouser pockets. “Of course, wouldn’t you trust this face?” Cham asked semi-sarcastically, fluttering their eyes, which changed from their I’ll defined pale yellow to an assortment of different styles and colours of eye between each beat of the lashes. They paused when they were done , and rubbed the back of their neck, still apparently a little sore from the hard landing and harder crack to the face.
“Thanks, by the way. I know how up in arms you big faction folk can get about little old squares getting up in your stuff.”
Quinne — Today at 12:16 PM
It was safe to say Quinne was intrigued by that, but he kept any questions to himself. Still, he watched quietly and inclined his head. "I did trust you to just wave your hands and go home, but then you know...you went for a fight." He pointed out, straightening his posture.
"Yeah, yeah, so you say. I'll keep you posted." As long as they kept up their end of the deal.
He stepped away, then, taking out his phone again to send someone a quick text on his way home.
Cham — Today at 2:02 PM
Well, this was better then another hit to the head. Strange how things never went how they intended. Sol was clearly guiding them. After all, how often does getting your shit pushed in down an alley get a connection with an… ally? Enemy? Informant? Whatever the hell was going to come from this.
They quickly made their way from the alley and back into the street, eyes alert as they pushed their way back the way they came. Back home.
Moderators: AJ_89 Steven (played by Robo-Craig) QnQ Hide Miyagawa (played by Monoclejack) Chroma (played by lewsey)
