couldn't put me back together again.

to be omnipresent was a dangerously powerful advantage. knowing everything, everyone, every little snippet of information that could be useful for her cause. prying eyes had been in every little nook and cranny for centuries. some of them had been completely undetectable, whilst others had snaked themselves in with the rest of the crowd beneath their noses. had the public known about this– about the impending fate of their world, there was no doubt remnant would plummet into deeper, blood-soaked chaos. everything would be falling right into salem’s hands much more easily.

this was what they were fighting for… what blake had chosen to fight for. their home, their family, everything they knew and loved.

yet even with accepting such fate to one day face the immortal being, blake had never thought she would meet her like this; in another world full of endless possibilities.

did they allow for her to retain whatever she had been capable of? did she run into anyone else from remnant? was she… planning something else? endless thoughts had put her at a stand-still, leaving her with a racing heart and a knot in the pit of her stomach.

whatever you do, don’t run.

true. she was through with running from her problems. but… what was she to do? fighting certainly was not an option (unless absolutely necessary), nor was the prospect of reasoning with the likes of her. blake does the only thing she can do in a moment of awe with underlying terror.

put on a brave face, and wait for her next move.

@fatedespised​

      humanity was not to be underestimated. salem knew this well and had learned it long, long ago when magic flowed in their veins & the gods sat in their domains, observing the ones they created. with convincing words and impossible displays, she banded together all of humanity to REBEL against the gods for what they did to her. it takes great effort to unite them all to be a powerful and feared source and she recognizes that strength.

             but it takes so little to break that strength completely.

  her face is impassive as the faunus stands before her-- posture tense, gaze set in an act meant to convey bravery. that she was not going to turn and run away or to her teammates. yes, she knew they were here, too. all of them were and the immortal had wondered how long until she would come face to face with feline. neither make a move, no budging of a muscle or twitching of a finger. silence settles as each observes. waiting for the littlest thing. if she’s expecting a fight, then she would be sorely disappointed. salem wasn’t going to waste her time with combat.

      not when there were far more important things to be done and learned. but, she wasn’t going to completely ignore the girl outright. no, that would be rude, wouldn’t it?

ah.

he had been contemplating this earlier, and with this reveal then perhaps it’s finally happened: he’s finally landed in hell.

no, no, he knows that isn’t true. the gods of any world he’s been a part of seem much too cruel to allow him to enter such a place, instead inviting him into purgatory eternal and telling him to make his own despair. they were all so very alike like that.

the curve of the woman’s hair tied up in twin buns, the long sweeping cloth of an inken dress, the deep veins that traveled up stark white arms– why, he knows them all too well. he held those hands, once. it had been such a long time ago, yet somehow the memory makes him tug at his gloves some, fingers curling as his boot scuffs against the floor behind him.

maybe the past few months have taught him something of spontaneity, how chance can wriggle its way into any plan one can make and snap it to pieces just like that. what to do, what to do…

well.

“ how fitting. “ he ventures forward, not sparing even a moment to introduce himself as he takes a step forward, hands tucked behind his back as he tries his best to seem tall– tall despite all the death and misery that stains his hands, all the failures that clung to his back with serrated hooks. “ adding yet another layer of triviality to make this meeting completely useless, as always. “ with a slight tilt of his head and a hollowed look, somehow, in this moment, his shadow seems so long compared to the boy whose footsteps he had stolen. he seems… tired.

“ hello, salem. “

gods, if that wasn’t the understatement of the millennia.

( @fatedespised​, you’ve updated your look. )

         of course.

  someone out there must have a funny sense of humor. or, they enjoy throwing a wrench into another’s life to see how they’ll respond as if it was their own personal drama. she wouldn’t put it above the gods to do such a thing-- they’ve done far, far worse. (and yet, people still worshiped them blindly. ridiculous.) this was always a possibility that lurked in the back of her mind, one that reared its head whenever she came across someone from their world. so many were here, and every day, the increasing possibility of him showing his face grew. 

  at first, she only assumed it was some lost kid-- but the words spoken ringed the bell of familiarity in her mind, the stance he wore digging up memories from long since past. it mattered not which body his soul claimed to take, not how many years come to past, not the location nor the situation-- she would know him anywhere. it was both a blessing and a curse.

       “ Ozpin. “

  arms fold tightly across her chest, black nails as sharp as daggers themselves curling around the black fabric that clung to her. disdain is evident, eyes narrowed at the man who-- no matter how much good he can TRY to do -- can never outrun his mistakes.they would always cling to him like how the darkness clung to her, shaping her very being in the years that have passed. 

        “ When Hazel spoke of your returning, he failed to mention...this. “ and she gestures with one hand at his body, the sneer on her face falling into one of amusement. my, the gods truly were just as cruel as their doings, huh? to have a child as a vessel, to throw one so young into a life they hardly could ever want...how fitting. a chuckle falls from her lips, one eyebrow raising.

🍂 ↠  @fatedespised​

         Under any other circumstance, this city would feel mundane. Even with it’s odd scenery – had she gotten the chance, she might compare it to Atlas – and even odder citizens, the city called Koi felt homely. Everyone she’d encountered as of yet seemed friendly enough, however she’d only really been there a day – maybe two – and had only experienced run ins with people out and about. Truth be told, she was looking for someone familiar. Anyone. That could perhaps clue her in…. what had happened? That questioned continued to gnaw at her throughout the day. And even when it subsided to the back of her mind it was there. What had happened?

    Green eyes scanned the crowd before the huntress to be exhaled softly and let her head loll back slightly. No luck. Gaze weary, Pyrrha turned away from the crowd ready to call it a night but before she could take a step she gasped. The woman had snuck up on her, completely silent. Swallowing back the knot that had jumped into her throat, the redhead stepped back, a nervous smile stretching her lips.

    “Pardon me, Miss. I didn’t see you there,” she explained. Then she laughed, timorous as her smile. “You are as quiet as a mouse.”

    well, now wasn't this an interesting turn of events.

 pyrrha nikos. famed champion, greatly praised fighter, a model student and person overall. among the many accolades she held, she was also ozpin's chosen to be the next maiden and one of beacon's greatest tragedies on that fated day. 

      and she was sitting there, as alive as can be.

  it seemed this place and the people were far more capable than she had originally realized if they were able to bring the DEAD back to life. a very useful ability and no doubt the comrades & friends of the woman were thrilled to have her back. but at the same time, it never came without consequence....and it seems a mistake had been made because there is no immediate hostility shown towards the immortal's presence. no look of fear or bared teeth. and if pyrrha's reaction means what it does....

      then perhaps being here wasn't so bad.

     " My apologies-- I didn't mean to startle you. " a smile, her tone calm and even as a chuckle follows suit. a facade is what it was, but a masterful one at that. she was so very good at it. the woman extends an arm and a hand out towards the girl, head tilting to the side.

  her approach is silent, as always. the moment her sight had landed on the assassin's son, her thoughts had taken a turn. first cinder -- a still peculiar case -- and now mercury....both on this little island in this strange world. she's beginning to suspect that the rest are LURKING about. maybe tomorrow she'll find tyrian harassing the locals or watts holding some unimportant conversation. maybe even emerald was off taking part in some petty thefts. 

      “ I would think that a decision to leave the castle and come here was made without my knowledge.  “

   salem halts before him, head tilting to the side. a hand shifts, resting atop the boy's shoulder, fingers curling inwards slightly. no pressure is applied, no digging of the nails is added -- a simple and relaxed touch. but it held no warmth nor comfort. blood red hues shift downwards, watching for the tiniest shift in expressions. the smallest inclination that her words held some truth.

               " But that would be ridiculous -- right, Mercury? "

   now this was different. upon their last interaction, cinder looked....nothing like she does currently. hair is no longer cropped, both of her arms still remain....as if she never entered the battle of beacon. as if that event had not come to pass for the fall maiden at all. it was certainly strange and unexpected-- and it hints that maybe, more powerful forces are at play here. there is a long list of possibilities for this situation and even more guesses as to what it was. but rather than do just that or come up with hypothetical and wrong answers, she chooses to remain unfazed-- as usual. no outward inclination that cinder’s appearance surprised her or the state she was in. nothing to show that the gears were already fast turning in her head.

       “ I must say, I was not expecting to find one of my people among those here.” and least of all, her. but out of those among her inner circle, cinder was far more...tolerable than tyrian at the least. 

              “ Tell me-- how long have you been here, Cinder? “

   perhaps the huntress would have been far safer if she simply stayed inside this evening. her presence remaining unaware to the woman, leaving her...however long she had with what peace she found here until she learned the TRUTH. maybe she should have stayed with her useless friends. but no matter what she did, it was inevitable. 

         whether HERE or in remnant, salem would find her. it was only just a matter of time.

             “ I finally get to meet the infamous Ruby Rose.”

  delighted she sounds, but it is nothing but fake. relaxed is her posture, her entire being in the presence of such a troublesome girl. truly, she’s caused numerous problems for the woman and her plans, problems many thought she seeked retribution for. but, such was not the case. oh no, she had plans for the girl that-- for now -- will remain unknown. 

              “ You have your mother’s face...how quaint that you are the spitting image of her. “

    of course. it was only natural that where one younger sibling would be, the eldest would soon follow. perhaps as a way to protect them or maybe it was pure coincidence that the two happened to be in this place at the same time. but salem hardly believed in coincidences or happy little accidents. everything had a purpose and an end goal. nothing was without reason. so seeing winter schnee was perhaps not nearly as surprising as one would ever expect it to be. next thing you know, her father or brother may pop out of the woodwork and it’ll be like one big messy reunion.

             (it would make getting rid of them far easier, however.)

       on arm crosses over her abdomen, elbow of the other resting against it as a finger is brought to tap at her chin.a moment of silence is taken, head tilting to the side. 

     “ Well. considering how she fared against CINDER...I wouldn’t either. They can be so reckless. “

    for someone to be powerful enough to bring HER -- of all people -- to this place...one would think anger would be at the forefront. a rage that rivaled that of learning that ozpin had reincarnated. make no mistake-- it is there, bubbling under the surface like the inky black pools of grimm, threatening to bubble over. she has been taken, her powers? practically stripped; weakened and given some package like a damn housewarming gift. was it meant to act as a mockery? a showing off power that they KNEW who she was on an intimate level? and nothing could be done about it? 

                  it was infuriating. 

    she didn’t like it one bit-- knowing nothing of this land, leaving her to stumble about like a newborn fawn. and stumbling hardly yielded any results and she refused to do just that. however hard they wanted to throw her off, she wouldn’t allow it. no-- she’ll learn this place. learn their secrets and make them her own.  

   -- but first, there’s another important matter to attend to.

        weiss schnee. former heiress and a member of ozpin’s little rag-tag group of soldiers. so she was here as well? if so, then there was a CHANCE the rest of them were here too. and yet there she was, all by herself. doesn’t she realize dangers lurk in the dark, no matter where one may be?

           “ Someone is far away from home. “ her words are calm & steady, gaze focused on the girl. how luckily for her to run into one of his people her first night in this glorified prison. 

  and now for a starter call! some may be event related, some may not. i will be capping this at...4, but castmates are exempt from that! 

sure you may be verified on twitter, but are you verified in the eyes of salem??

the Big Badie of the series

 she has been alive for THOUSANDS of years. like she’s from the first generation of humans which is really, really complicated

used to be a girl trapped in a tower by her father but was freed by a knight who then she traveled with and fell in love with but then he died so she got upset and refused to accept it and tried tricking the gods into bringing him back to life and then she had to watch him die like 4 more times in her arms so they cursed her with immortality 

and then she united humanity to revolt against the gods so they wiped out humanity and left just her and the grimm and--

 that’s a lot to unpack so we’re just going to throw away the whole suitcase!!

will literally Flip A Table at you 

you better watch out. you better watch out. you better watch out. you better wa

friends???? i don’t need them, they disappoint me

OOC.

 it’s me, ya girl jiwoo!!

24, she/her, bianca is my other koi muse