PAFF

3 am sentence starters

PAFF was out testing a theory. Taking a walk around the Golden Ward, they were on the look out for simple electronics like surveillance cameras and the like. Every time they found one, they’d pause and concentrate on it. It should’ve been so simple.

Just focus your thoughts and let the Eye grant you knowledge.

Yet nothing came. Every single time, blocked by some strange omnipotent firewall. It’s like this city didn’t want them to use the Eye of Horus. Was something consciously keeping them out, like they suspected with the OS network before being swept here? The thought was troubling. This anxiety fueled them to keep trying, in some vain hope they could get their power to work.

It took noticing a drop of blood from their nose falling to the sidewalk and the surprised face of a passerby for PAFF to finally realize it was pointless. They quickly reached up to pinch their bleeding nose, grimacing at the sudden shooting pain in their neck.

“Sorry— ah,” They spoke all nasally from pinching their nose, but were cut off by another twinge of pain culminating in their head. This was probably going to turn into a killer migraine...

“T-This happens sometimes. I’ll be fine, I just... need a tissue or something—”

The hell raven nodded her head, perfectly satisfied this was an appropriate greeting and this woman was probably alright. She wasn’t trying to snatch her stuff after all, and that was the worst crime.

“What am I collecting! Only the best stuff.” At least half of it was garbage. “You wouldn’t believe half of the things people just leave lying around here, it’s crazy.”

“Nope! Well, yes, but also no. I’ve been here before? But then I wasn’t. And now I am again! I don’t really know how it works.”

Really she was terrible at managing time and she had no idea how long she’d been gone for. A week? A year? It was one of those two.

“So, what can you do?”

One man’s trash was another’s treasure, they supposed. With how enthusiastic Okuu seemed about her collection of oddities, PAFF figured it was probably best not to push it. They were going to be living with this woman, after all!

“What can I do...?” They repeated, appearing to be genuinely confused as to what she meant for a second— but then it hit them. A lot of, if not almost everyone on this island, wasn’t of the ordinary type. Everyone here had something special about them it felt like and PAFF probably wasn’t an exception.

“W-Well, I’m a singer and a pretty okay baker.” They replied, rubbing their neck. “If you mean powers... I can see into machines and control them a little? It’s hard to explain.”

Come to think of it, they hadn’t tried using the Eye of Horus since arriving here. Maybe they should give it a try.

“Right now it’s the perfect time for tea! Would you like a cup?”

Several long seconds passed where Okuu did nothing but stare at this… Person. Her roommate, she guessed? Slowly her wings tucked themselves back in behind her and she stepped closer to get a better look at this one.

Eventually she decided that no, this person probably wasn’t here to steal her things and her stance and features relaxed, but she was still standing quite close.

“P PAFF? Roommate, huh? Nice to meet you!” The change was sudden as she smiled and took the others hand to shake. “I’m Utsuho but you can call me Okuu. I can move all that stuff if you want but it’s mine so… Don’t touch it!” Despite a wide grin and friendly tone, it was still a little forceful.

“So you’re staying here huh? With me? Aren’t you lucky! I’m the strongest one in this city but you probably already knew that. Unless you’re new. Are you new?”

The bird lady’s switch from being defensive to as friendly as ever felt pretty sudden, given it was only a few mere moments before she was shaking their hand.

“Nice to meet you too, Okuu...” PAFF replied awkwardly during the handshake, gaze drifting to the pile of various shinies on the table behind her. It looked like a random assortment of stuff for the most part, though they could see what looked to be jewelry strewn about in there. How strange.

“…”  Someone who could appreciate silence at least (as much silence as an urban environment might provide).  Even with nigh-sentient droids, the prevalence of magic, and fantastical degrees of accommodation, people were the same as ever.  Vicious wasn’t sure how he felt about this.

“Fear is a fire.”  He destroys those things he once offered his life for.  Everything will fade, and time will not reverse.  The only proof that he existed–

“It can cook your food, or it can burn your house down.  Make your decision,”  Vicious cannot recall the last time he felt responsibility for anyone’s well-being.  That certainly hasn’t changed now.  Attachment means nothing.

His bird had ruffled his feathers, and after a few monotone chirps stretched out its wings and knocking them into Tuner by chance.  With three large flaps it took off into the night.  Vicious stopped walking, watching it soar off before it went out of sight behind the dimly lit apartment complexes of the ward they were in.  

“Home, huh?  Why head there?”  

With a quiet thwunk Tuner was struck by the bird’s wings as it took off into the air. Tuner seemed startled — at least as startled as a one-eyed robot could appear. It did a little spin in the air to express its confusion, before relenting and floating back into place over PAFF’s shoulder.

The man’s words were... absolutely cryptic at best. PAFF kind of struggled to grasp what he was getting at, if they were being honest. They sniffled, finding it within themselves to hold back the tears for a later time. “You’re from another world too, right? Don’t you have somebody to go back to...?”

@paffed​ liked for a starter!

Tragedy had struck. Upon finding out where she had been rehoused and checking the rooms she had confirmed the worst case scenario; her stash of treasure was gone. Ransacked! Looted! Nary a scrap remained! How heartless and cruel were the masters of this world.

Naturally, the hell raven had gotten back to work immediately and was sitting in the living room with the fruits of her labour so far. She was peering over and sorting a small mountain of what appeared, at first glance, to a completely random assortment. There was bottle caps, pieces of coloured metal, jewellery both real and fake, watches, mirrors, screws, a hubcap. All of it was unified under a single theme, and that theme was its ability to reflect light in a fascinating way. To her, it was all valuable.

But she was shaken from this sorting when she heard another in the space. Her wings unfurled in shock and she sprung around wide eyed.

“…”

“Who are you? I didn’t do anything-”

PAFF wasn’t sure what to expect of their roommates. They weren’t the only one living in this apartment, that much was obvious. Their mind seemed to bounce back and forth between being anxious of sharing a living space with complete strangers, to being a little excited at the prospect of maybe making a friend or two. Friends would be good, right?

So after sitting in their room for awhile and finally hearing what sounded like someone else in the apartment, it took awhile for PAFF to work up the courage to go out and say hi. When they finally did, it was only thanks to copious amounts of coaxing on Kaori’s part.

Bedroom door swinging open, stepping out and — yikes!

“M-Me?” PAFF stammered out, clearly flustered at the fact they already managed to spook their new roomie. Aroma was definitely the prevailing influence here.

They could just barely see The Spiral Dome from here.

Sitting outside the apartment complex of the Golden Ward, PAFF’s gaze was cast towards the large distant structure, surrounded by the sea of concrete that was the rest of the ward. They really ought to pay it a visit eventually, they thought. It might serve as a sense of familiarity, though they heavily doubted they would ever get the chance to perform in such an extravagant location anytime soon.

They were starting from zero, here on this strange island. Aroma had practically grown up famous, yet for Kaori the life of the average civilian was the norm. It felt like they had come full circle. They weren’t sure what they were going to do with themselves yet.

Audience or no audience, they couldn’t deny that music was still in their blood. It always would be. Even when they remembered almost nothing about themselves, they still wanted to sing for the world — to express their emotions in the best way they knew how. It was their coping mechanism, in a way. So it was completely unsurprising when they gestured towards Tuner, requesting it turn on the instrumental of an old song of Aroma’s. Quietly they sung,

“ I am close enough to see your eyes    that tell me who I should be like.       Now, stop painting black upon the whitest lies,          stop pushing me, stop, rewind ♫  “

If anyone stopped to observe, PAFF didn’t seem to mind. It was their natural element, and anyone was welcome to it.

“ Again, close enough to hold your hands    to ask what it takes to be a man.       So many choices, too many voices,          and I know they only steal me away from you.             Let me be myself  ♫ “

She actually followed.  Incredible.  These really were people from every manner of existence here.  Never would he imagine a young woman would so easily walk about at night with a stranger. This must be a dream–  No, Vicious would sooner slice his own throat then accept living in that bastard’s delusion.  

“Same as you.  Woke up–  Arrived, today.”  He spoke more audibly, now that they were walking past the blocks with people moving in and out through them.  His hands were dug into his pockets, arms over the…joke of a wooden sword attached to his hip he was bestowed with.  Vicious could give off the aura he was capable, at least.  

The bird was behaving gently for now, it seemed.  And gentle for it meant poking at the adorable robot with its bill like a pike.  Whatever that could mean.

“Not quite a fan.  It’s too cozy.”

“...” It felt a little weird to hear someone not like a place because it was too cozy. It wasn’t like they had gotten much time to look around, but compared to some of the seedier areas they were used to, this place seemed a lot safer.

“It’s scary.” They said, noticing the bird beginning to poke at a surprisingly indifferent Tuner. They raised their palm to offer Tuner a place to sit, but it ignored them, seeming perfectly content to float around the cormorant.

“Being here without anyone, I mean...” Their mind drifted to that of people like Neko, Hayato, or Aroma’s sister and not knowing when they’d see them next, and suddenly tears pricked at the corner of their eyes. It was the stress of everything, really.