Día Uno

[John A. Downing]

 

John, The Revelator

"There will come a day, when my actions change the world."

Too long....

Much too long.

It was all rubble.

Standing outside the gate, John saw only what Cabal could be. A relic of an age passed, this building and everyone in it were among the rubble and they didn't even know it. Dropping the finished smoke, John stamped it out and looked at the new plating and steel gate. Fresh. From a battle? Reaching out, his hand touched it and his jaw clenched. Just another monument to territory 259. The audacity. The Unitigated gall. Who's cahones were large enough to name this massive swath of land after that...pit. Shithole. Concrete surrounding snakes. Pushing open the door, he walked across the threshold and up the general walkway, hand outstretched to grip the front door and pull it open, stepping inside.

Cabal Academy.

Run by the Dragons. Owned by the former director of 259. Karma seemed unfair. While she was food for the maggots since long ago, here they sat, fame and wealth theirs for the taking on the daily. He stuck his hands in the pockets of his jacket and let out a slow and easy breath. Compared to the monsters of 259, he was nothing but an angry fly.

That would change, soon enough.

Adjusting the hilt of his sword, he started toward the dorms, bringing nothing but the blade at his hip and the clothes on his back.

Bide your time, John. You'll have your chance.

JUNIER of GS + Adox

[Rozalin Kendal]

A questionable figure was leaving the dorms as he approached, the door falling shut behind her with ease as her strides took her towards the front of the academy grounds. With the usual hip sway in motion and her thoughts elsewhere, Rozalin almost missed the man in fur at first. Her gaze flicked over him, taking in the clothes, the scar and the sword. A fresh face, then, or possibly just fresh meat.

"Nice sword." She nodded towards his weapon, mentally cringing as she resisted the horrible notion she might actually be playing the welcome wagon to this place.

[John A. Downing]

 

John, The Revelator

"There will come a day, when my actions change the world."

Stopping in his tracks, he glanced down at the blade.

"Thank you." His eyes turned to her weapons as well. "Yours aren't so bad either, miss....?"

He'd offer his hand if she gave her name, shaking it gently and giving up his own after. "I'm John. It's a pleasure to meet you. I hate to be that guy but, could you show me to the main offices? I find myself in need of a room, and some clothes."

New yes. Empty handed, yes. One of the few unimpressed with her prestine figure?

Yes.

JUNIER of GS + Adox

[Rozalin Kendal]

She really was playing the welcome wagon. Normally, Rozalin gave herself one good deed a year and figured it had been chalked up to dragging Sage back to Cabal. She better get extra karma - or better yet, something worthwhile - out of this. Where was Preston around to play people when you needed him?

"Kendall. Rozalin Kendall." She flashed him a smile and a small nod at his request since the grounds seemed relatively still at the moment. So this one was a new recruit then, or someone lost along the way. There'd been plenty of visitors of late, welcome or otherwise. It seemed he was one of the former. For now.

"I'm sure I could, but what would you give me in return?" She raised a brow as she shook his hand, her grip firm and confident as the rest of her. He was older than those she normally dealt with, probably less likely into games, but you never knew. It woudln't hurt to see just what he was like while she was at it.

[John A. Downing]

 

John, The Revelator

"There will come a day, when my actions change the world."

He shook her hand with a grip to match.

"I doubt I have anything to offer such a beauty as yourself."

He gave a kind, if small smile.

"But if you think of something at a later time, I'm sure it can be worked out."

He knew how the game was played. People responded to charm, finesse, to a certain level of flirtatious interaction. Physically speaking, she was quite enticing to the average person. Not that he felt himself superior in some way, just that he felt no desire to fulfill the needs other men might have bubbling over the surface.

He'd turn back in the direction he came.

"This way, I take it?"

JUNIER of GS + Adox

[Rozalin Kendal]

"I'll hold you to that, Mr...?" She agreed with a chuckle waiting for him to finish with his own introduction. She noting how his gaze didn't run over her like most men did. Interesting, but not completely unheard of. She clearly appreciated the praise, nodding in the direction he had turned.

"Close. This is the dormitory. The main building is over there, including all of the administration." She decided she'd go ahead and lead him along, at least for now.

[John A. Downing]

 

John, The Revelator

"There will come a day, when my actions change the world."

"John Downing."

He glanced around. Dormitories. Made sense. He knew nothing about this place save that it was a military academy for those with powers. It had a reputation in the east of being a war mongering community, filled to the brim with those who looked to start fights and make names for themselves. It seemed to be exactly the kind of agency that would call to the Dragons, and the Crows, and the many other individuals who lived throughout the great war and those flash points that followed. Adjusting the sword on his belt he took after her, calmly poking at her knowledge of the place as he did so.

"So...who runs this facility? Just the Dragons, or are there others?"

JUNIER of GS + Adox

[Rozalin Kendal]

"You don't know?" It was a simple enough question, and one that seemed harmless enough, but Rozalin still rose a brow at him as she answered.

"There are Dragons, yes, but there's also your basic administration." The pirate shrugged. "Not that different from other academies, if I had a guess."

[John A. Downing]

 

John, The Revelator

"There will come a day, when my actions change the world."

"I don't. I have lived in seclusion for a long time, without much information on the outside world. Besides that of the crows of war circling."

He'd let out a low "Mm." at her statement of administration, continuing.

"Administration like...Asiv? Or a council? Apologies, I am just curious about the faces I'll be answering to."

JUNIER of GS + Adox

[Rozalin Kendal]

Rozalin waved away his apology with a simple flick of her wrist.

"Don't worry about it. I didn't, either, when I first came here. I was lead to believe it was fairly unusual. Hearing someone else say it is kind of refreshing." She chuckled. "I guess I can understand why, though. It's different when you're not part of their world." Not that seclusion had been her thing.

"Asiv runs the place, but I've not seen him once since I've been here. You're more likely to run into one of the Commanders - the Dragons." Which, for the most part, she'd also managed to avoid.

"Where are you from?"

[John A. Downing]

 

John, The Revelator

"There will come a day, when my actions change the world."

"I see. Thank you."

He continued walking with her as she asked her question. It was a difficult one to answer. He surmised his most recent location would have to do.

"I'm from 83. Northeastern territories."

He rested his hand on the pommel of his sword, continuing with a calm expression before reaching into his jacket and pulling out a flask, taking a deep swig.

JUNIER of GS + Adox

[Rozalin Kendal]

Roz's gaze went distant for a moment before nodding, trying to remember the general location of the mentioned territory and if she'd ever had dealings there.

"I see." She wouldn't press, though it seemed odd that he came all the way out here. Still, to each their own.

As for the flask, she let that slip without comment, only glancing over to see what he was drawing out. She was hardly one to frown at drinking.

"A long journey then."

[John A. Downing]

 

John, The Revelator

"There will come a day, when my actions change the world."

He nodded.

"Very. But those who say it's not about the destination, it's about the journey never have something waiting for them at the end of it."

He took another long swig.

JUNIER of GS + Adox

[Rozalin Kendal]

"Hmmmm." She didn't comment. It must be nice, having something waiting for you that you wanted to reunite with.

[John A. Downing]

 

John, The Revelator

"There will come a day, when my actions change the world."

He lowered the flask.

"Thoughtful....? What is it you have on your mind, Pirate?"

Oh yeah. He knew.

JUNIER of GS + Adox