▲ my life is just constantly existing at ungodly hours
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Feb 16, 2021 13:20:55 GMT -5
Post by achromatic on Feb 16, 2021 13:20:55 GMT -5
It was really just bad luck to be stuck in prison, and perhaps even worse luck that the local jail was full, enough that they were now transferring the 'high security' prisoners to Dalry. Great. Mars shouldn't have had to worry; after all, he was just here for petty theft...if only he hadn't also accidentally slept with the prison guard's wife in a previous incident. Yeah, that wasn't the best idea he had; he was drunk, after all.
So here he was, sitting in a prison cell with a bunch of other guys, planning his escape. It was easy enough to get the guards to ignore him, or to underestimate his own powers, after all. Lacaille didn't have many water fairies, it seemed, and he had kept his own gifts down low for the last couple of days. It wasn't like any of the guards were worried about the one-armed prisoner, after all. There were plenty others to worry more about.
The cycle was simple. Noon, the guards would change shifts, and another shift change at 6 pm exactly, and by 3 am, there were barely any guards around.
"Dinner!" a clanging noise could be heard as the cook came around, passing bowls of gruel towards the prisoners. Excellent. He didn't exactly appreciate this kind of fare, but any type of liquid provided a chance for escape. He passed the first bowl to another prisoner. "Here," he held it out, "take it."
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▲ ezra collier & luce feyre
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Feb 16, 2021 17:37:21 GMT -5
Post by fleur on Feb 16, 2021 17:37:21 GMT -5
He was lucky he wasn't being shipped off somewhere. As it was, as notorious a reputation as he garnered, Ezra was untouchable-- soon, Aela would send someone to bail him out and he would be on his merry way back to Pyxis where he'd no doubt get an earful from the queen herself about why street brawls were unbecoming of a royal guard, particularly of her own personal guard. The thought of her wisped through his mind like smoke, fleeting and gone so soon as the cook's call broke his reverie.
So it was dinnertime. Seconds felt like hours when there wasn't much to do besides oogle at all the testosterone around him. Sadly, few of them were attractive, except for the eye candy that was crouched near the entrance of the cell. He was mostly unassuming, which made him all the more intriguing.
With a bruised hand, he accepted the offering, though he didn't inhale it as readily as the other prisoners might have. Rather, he watched Mars curiously, some twinkle in the man's eye arousing his interest among other things. "Not hungry tonight? Y'know they won't give ya anything else till morning," he commented languidly, spooning a small bite into his mouth.
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▲ my life is just constantly existing at ungodly hours
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Feb 16, 2021 18:54:09 GMT -5
Post by achromatic on Feb 16, 2021 18:54:09 GMT -5
Mars chuckled. "I just think you'll need it more than me," he replied with a chuckle, before moving back towards the front, grabbing a bowl for himself. "Could I get some water?" he made his voice raspy, "my throat hurts."
A scowl appeared on the cook's face, "we don't give extras."
Mars fell on his knees, practically grovelling. "Please sir," he held a hand out. Laughter came from the guards.
"Oh just let him have it," another one smirked, "look, he's begging."
The cook laughed, before beckoning another man over, one holding a large bucket of water, throwing it at the man, water splattering everywhere to the prisoners' dismay. "Here you go," he sneered, "enjoy."
Mars stayed still, waiting for the guards to leave, before a smirk lit up on his lips, the water seemed to quickly dry as he absorbed it. He turned towards the small band of other prisoners, now watching curiously.
"Any of you happen to be a fire fairy?" he smirked, "because I have a job for you."
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▲ ezra collier & luce feyre
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Feb 16, 2021 19:17:19 GMT -5
Post by fleur on Feb 16, 2021 19:17:19 GMT -5
"Well, I'll be," laughed Ezra once the guards retreated, offering a slow applause. "What a show, my friend."
The other occupants of the cell chimed in, hooting and hollering and giving Mars congratulatory pats on the back, before he spoke up over their clamor. "Well, anyone here gonna answer the man? You a fire fairy? How 'bout you?" He glimpsed between them, met only by shakes of their heads. "No? Just me then, I guess," he grinned wolfishly at Mars, lowering into a mock bow. "At your service, sir."
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▲ my life is just constantly existing at ungodly hours
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Feb 16, 2021 19:40:45 GMT -5
Post by achromatic on Feb 16, 2021 19:40:45 GMT -5
Mars chuckled. Was the prison so devoid of entertainment that getting thoroughly soaked got this much applause? He was certainly amused by this. Looking to the metal bars of the cage they were in, his eyes scanned them for any faults, any weak spots. They were created with a coating, of course, to resist such an event as a break out, but until they had a cage like the one in Dalry, one that practically prevented people from using their magic, there would always be an escape plan.
At this rate, the easiest target was probably the door of the cell. The lock was big, probably difficult to break, but not impossible. "Okay," he hummed, "there's some coating on these bars that prevent your fire from melting them, but if I'm right and these bars are coated with the same thing they use for the barrels of gunpowder down at the port...we might be able to crack the coating if I freeze it and you shoot enough fire to overheat it after. Thank god we're not in some bigger city with more advanced shit than this, huh?"
He held out a hand to Ezra. "Name's Mars, and yours?"
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▲ ezra collier & luce feyre
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Feb 19, 2021 19:25:01 GMT -5
Post by fleur on Feb 19, 2021 19:25:01 GMT -5
Ezra considered the bars and the door and the powder coating marring their surface, considered the crowd closing in around them expectantly, and he also considered the fact that he'd never come to the conclusion of an escape plan in all the times he'd sat in this particular prison. Spirits, what was he doing with his life? And who was this clever man? Name's Mars, and yours? Mars, hm?
He cocked a grin back at him and accepted his hand, shaking it enthusiastically. "Ezra. Glad to know ya, Mars. You seem to have put a considerable amount of thought into this plan a' yours. Been dreaming about getting locked up in a cell just like this one your whole life, I'll bet," snarked the man, relentless but charming in that Ezra way of his. But he readied himself, the skin upon his hands beginning to grow hotter and brighter, his eyes tinting themselves a magnificent shade of crimson.
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▲ my life is just constantly existing at ungodly hours
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Feb 19, 2021 21:53:10 GMT -5
Post by achromatic on Feb 19, 2021 21:53:10 GMT -5
A chuckle left the man's mouth. Great, another smart-ass, he thought. At least he was a useful one. "You get into my line of work enough and making a backup plan becomes second nature," he snorted, "guess that doesn't apply to everyone though. Let me guess, you're either a first infraction or you got stuck here for something unimportant like getting drunk and starting a brawl?"
His own powers were in use, the icy cold already clinging to the bars as they worked intensely, and before long, a crackle could be heard. Oh yeah, this might actually work. Well he'll be damned.
"Just a little more," he encouraged, "we're almost there."
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▲ ezra collier & luce feyre
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Feb 21, 2021 21:05:37 GMT -5
Post by fleur on Feb 21, 2021 21:05:37 GMT -5
At the first sign of a crack in the ice, Ezra was ready to leap into action, flames sprouting from his palms and directing themselves at the bars. It wasn't long before the intense cold gave way to the heat, the metal shattering into a trillion tiny shards. "Let's go!" he howled, subtlety forgotten, though the guards were already alerted to the clamor down the hall.
The prisoners they'd shared the cell with were already charging away, but the guards knew enough about the fire-wielder to know he was at least partially involved. One of them brandished a sword they'd confiscated from Ezra and lunged at Mars, aiming to cut off his other arm, but before he could connect the blade to its target, it flashed red and then brightly orange, exploding in the man's hand and eviscerating it. "It's not nice to take something that doesn't belong to you, eh?" laughed Ezra, running alongside Mars down the corridors towards their freedom.
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▲ my life is just constantly existing at ungodly hours
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Feb 22, 2021 5:32:21 GMT -5
Post by achromatic on Feb 22, 2021 5:32:21 GMT -5
Once the door blasted over, it was all motion. Mars immediately moved forward, rushing forward, the water still clinging to his arm lashed forward at one of the guards, pushing him against the wall as they continued forward, only to meet another guard with a sword. Mars was ready, prepared to launch another attack, but the sword exploded. Huh.
He turned to Ezra as he spoke. "Thanks," he grinned, as they continued forward. They were almost there...so close...
A group of soldiers came charging through, and the entrance was blocked. Fuck.
"You thought you could escape, huh?" one of them laughed, "two fairies and a bunch of thugs? You should've known we were prepared–"
Mars didn't respond, simply breathing in and feeling for any source of water. There was none around except...the pipes. The pipes, where were they running? He could feel the water, rushing through, pulsing...
Then suddenly, he felt it. Immediately drawing from it, the water pulled forward from underneath them, the sewers exploding as the water froze the men in their places.
"Let's go," he gestured towards the end of the hall. Freedom.
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▲ ezra collier & luce feyre
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Feb 22, 2021 9:42:32 GMT -5
Post by fleur on Feb 22, 2021 9:42:32 GMT -5
"Woah," exhaled Ezra, moving in a backwards lope to really take in the frigid statues of the guards that were previously in full motion, swinging and cursing and bumbling towards them. "Nice trick," he laughed to Mars.
Behind them a shatter splintered the air and the form of one guard-- a little reminder to the rest of them that when they thawed out, it would be best to avoid trifling with the pair of houdinis.
Ahead, two more of their captors appeared, wearing a brighter insignia than their colleagues. "They sent out the big dogs for us, how sweet." He was no water fairy; he couldn't sense the flow of molecules in a person's body the way Mars could, but he could sense the heat beneath their skin, feel the warmth of their blood. All it took was a little adjustment for the men to feel the change.
Suddenly, they were on their knees, immobilized by the fire coursing through their veins, and Ezra and Mars were scot-free, slamming through the doors out onto the Velan streets. "I can feel the wind in my hair! It's been so long!" Arms outstretched, chin tilted into the breeze, he charged forward and turned the corners, directionless but not lost. Not on these roads, the ones that have seen him at his worst and would always welcome his wayward tread.
Once they were far enough to take pause, he turned to Mars. "It won't be long before there's a full scale search party for us now. Got anywhere in mind for us to lay low?" The authorities were well aware of his hidey holes by now, and now having the two of them to cover, it would take longer than they had to find a new spot to wait out the hounds.
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▲ my life is just constantly existing at ungodly hours
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Feb 22, 2021 10:16:12 GMT -5
Post by achromatic on Feb 22, 2021 10:16:12 GMT -5
Mars couldn't help but grin at Ezra's surprise, but it seemed as if Ezra truly was more capable than he seemed. He didn't know many fire fairies who could just heat up the room so easily; many he had seen only had the power to wield fire, not control the temperature the way Ezra did. How interesting.
"Damn, where are you from again?" he snorted, as the finally reached their destination, freedom. When they finally took a break, he was sweating, breathing hard from the exertion of organizing a prison break. "Damn, I've never seen anyone do that back there. You know, you'd make a pretty profitable bounty hunter if you ever wanted to."
He glanced up, searching the area for any hint of where they were. He knew the streets of this town well enough, but the twists and turns still meant that he was just a little bit lost. "Do you know how to get to the old port? The one they turned into some tourist attraction?"
His men weren't far from there, and he'd easily be able to get back to the ship. "I know a way out if you know how to get there."
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▲ ezra collier & luce feyre
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Feb 22, 2021 12:08:22 GMT -5
Post by fleur on Feb 22, 2021 12:08:22 GMT -5
"You're not so bad yourself." Ezra returned, already leading them through the alleyways and cutting sharp corners to keep hidden during their run towards the destination. Wait, port? He groaned internally, electing not to tell his new companion about his particularly uneasy stomach when it came to travel, especially travel that involved boats prone to rocking on the waves.
It wasn't long before they were there, at which point he slowed and gestured for Mars to take the lead, an obvious apprehension slowing him down some.
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▲ my life is just constantly existing at ungodly hours
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Feb 22, 2021 13:38:17 GMT -5
Post by achromatic on Feb 22, 2021 13:38:17 GMT -5
Mars laughed. "Yeah, have to be for my kind of job," he replied with a shrug, as he headed forwards, his eyes glancing left and right for the guards. Luckily, it seemed like a busy day. Everyone else was meandering around, the sun was high and there didn't seem to be anything out of place. "Come on," he spoke quickly as he moved forward, casually heading towards the port without another word.
The wooden stairs creaked as Mars climbed them quickly, eyes scanning over the boats. The Meg...The Kelpie...ah! The Kraken. He turned to Ezra. "Where did you plan on going?" he asked, "I can take you there if you want. Let's just get out of this town before those guards find us again."
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▲ ezra collier & luce feyre
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Feb 22, 2021 14:46:42 GMT -5
Post by fleur on Feb 22, 2021 14:46:42 GMT -5
The Kraken.
The name was emblazoned across the side of the ship, drawing attention to itself and not doing much to assuage Ezra's rolling gut. To Mars he replied, "I'm from Pyxis. There should be an inlet on the northern side of it. Hopefully you don't get bombed by ye olde royal cannons," quipped the man, reeling as the crew began to reel back the anchors. Oh, he was so going to be sick.
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▲ my life is just constantly existing at ungodly hours
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Feb 22, 2021 15:42:49 GMT -5
Post by achromatic on Feb 22, 2021 15:42:49 GMT -5
"Pyxis huh?" he was surprised. It wasn't exactly a city he often visited; after all, the place was protected. Like, really well protected. Only merchants with permits were really allowed to enter their shores. An inlet huh? His brow furrowed, who really was Ezra?
"I've never met anyone from Pyxis," he spoke casually, "what do you do there? I heard it's a pretty nice town, but the royal canons don't do well with a wooden boat."
He gave his crew the orders. Pyxis. They gave him a strange look but Mars shrugged. It'd be interesting to see, after all, and if they were in danger, he'd just find another coast to drop the man off.
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▲ ezra collier & luce feyre
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Feb 22, 2021 16:05:22 GMT -5
Post by fleur on Feb 22, 2021 16:05:22 GMT -5
Staggering off to the side rails, he leaned against them in a manner that was meant to look normal, but a seasoned eye like Mars' would quickly tell how sickened his movements were. "I work with the guards," he managed, still able to find some humor in the light curiosity of his companion's questions. That was always a topic that garnered some fascination from those around him. People liked to imagine what it might be like to take a stroll through the castle's town, perhaps even to look upon it from a distance, but he was one of few with true reign of the kingdom.
And he was missing it, especially now, feeling the ship lurch under his feet.
"I'm the guard captain, actually. That's, ugh," another bump, "that's why they never-- never ship my sorry ass off."
He wasn't totally untouchable. Vela's authorities could obviously arrest him when he was causing trouble-- and given his notoriety among them, they were giddy to do just that-- but he was never tried for his charges nor given some of the worse treatments, often on the sidelines while they took their frustrations out on the less fortunate of his cell mates. This would go on until one of Aela's ambassadors came with the bail (and some bribes to keep them from mouthing off) and then Ezra would be on his merry way.
Maybe, he thought, he would have been better off waiting for that. Traveling with Mars was faster, of course, but every second seemed so agonizingly slow. To distract himself, he asked, "So this here's your ship? You don't think it's pretty unoriginal-- a water fairy being a pirate, I mean?"
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▲ my life is just constantly existing at ungodly hours
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Feb 22, 2021 16:53:26 GMT -5
Post by achromatic on Feb 22, 2021 16:53:26 GMT -5
Oh yeah, this man was seasick. He wasn't surprised; few fire fairies ever took his offer to go on the ship, despite how interested they seemed at the get go. Still, he grabbed a bucket and shoved it into Ezra's arms, pushing him down on a crate they often used as a chair. It'd be better if he wasn't standing.
"Impressive," he mused, "then how the hell were you in a prison in Vela? I thought royal guards didn't get in trouble like that. Piss off a noble or something?"
He chuckled at Ezra's other question. It was true, water fairies on water did sound cliche, but where else would they be surrounded by their element like this? Inland was so dry, it made his skin itch.
"Don't insult my country like that," he joked. After all, plenty of water fairies lived on the coastal regions; he certainly wasn't the only water fairy in Maline who became a sailor. It was actually the most common occurrence; water fairies liked being around water. "I mean, what else should I be? I'm in my element out here and who else is going to hire a one-armed sailor anyway?"
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▲ ezra collier & luce feyre
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Feb 24, 2021 8:42:23 GMT -5
Post by fleur on Feb 24, 2021 8:42:23 GMT -5
He looked prepared to argue that he didn't need the bucket and that his stomach was just unsettled from all the excitement of earlier, but the words didn't come, instead the man silently thankful to be sitting down. At least it felt a little bit more steady.
At Mars' question his lips managed to quirk in a grin. "The first couple of times, they didn't mess with me. I used to come out with the guard insignia, but they got smart. Learned they could arrest me, but I never got charged. Guess there's a perk to having friends in high places, yeah?" His laugh was wry, wondering how the queen would react when her ambassador returned back empty-handed, spewing something about how the guard captain escaped prison with a one-armed vandal.
"I guess it does make sense, despite the cliché," he allowed. "How'd you lose your arm, anyway?" He'd been curious but the previous events hadn't given him much time to probe, and currently he was looking for any distraction, focusing solely on the pirate so his wandering eye would not find the sea, would not see how the waves dominated one another, would not notice how the ship bobbed on the surface and rocked back and forth. His stomach groaned.
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▲ my life is just constantly existing at ungodly hours
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Feb 24, 2021 10:17:21 GMT -5
Post by achromatic on Feb 24, 2021 10:17:21 GMT -5
"Damn," he whistled, "maybe I should sign up for the royal guard instead. Think I could get away with whatever the fuck I want if I joined?" He was joking of course, but Ezra's description of his job really did sound intriguing. What would it be like to have friends in high places, he mused. It certainly wasn't his life; not everyone was born lucky, after all.
The man glanced down at his missing limb. "Oh this?" he snorted, lifting up his arm. "Do you want the long, sea-shanty style story, or the short one?" Despite the loss and tragedy that surrounded the story of his, he had come to terms with it years ago, enough to be able to joke about it. "Short story is I lost it to a kraken. You know, giant squid-like thing...likes to destroy boats...fucked up Maline for years before the hundred ship battle? Yeah that one. Tore my arm right off. Shit happens."
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▲ ezra collier & luce feyre
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Feb 25, 2021 8:23:30 GMT -5
Post by fleur on Feb 25, 2021 8:23:30 GMT -5
He wouldn't have called it luck that led him here, but Ezra's laugh was genuine nonetheless. "Well, you have a friend in the captain so I think you'd get away with quite a bit," he said behind a wink.
He absorbed Mars' story as the man regaled the abridged version of what was surely a traumatic time, something he could not begin to imagine. "I've heard about that, but not much. There was a lot of talk about it and all the ships we lost in that battle. One of our sailors took his crew out and never returned," he replied. At the time it didn't even seem like a real event, merely something you'd hear about in passing. A story told to sate childrens' imaginations. But here was this man with very real, very personal losses from that. "Shit happens," he agreed, then in a lighter, mirthful tone said, "Shame too, now you can only grab one tit instead of both."
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