the mischievous mage

Skylar Hammond is an OC I’ve been writing for over a decade. I have lots of rp experience with all genres and formats. I will rp with canon and OC characters set in the fandoms listed below.

I have knowledge of/will write for the following fandoms:

Bleach

Jojo’s Bizarre Adventure

Trigun

Demon Slayer (anime only)

Resident Evil

Final Fantasy (IX, VII franchise, XV)

Many others upon request!

The expression on Vash's face flattened into something a bit more serious as he simply listened. Footsteps behind them were still too soft to worry about, but too obvious not to prickle at his instincts. There remained a distinct possibility that it was innocent, and of all people who understood how quickly a mistake could turn into death, he didn't want to take any action until he was sure. Even then--

He was an idiot for wanting to talk first, fine. And sounded like an idiot most of the time he was talking. But it had saved lives more times than knee-jerk actions had. Still... it did pay to be careful, and he did have someone else with him. Someone who'd already been rescued before.

It's such a quick, subtle motion, a little flick of his wrist, that most people would miss it; but he's making sure to telegraph it to Skylar, so let her know that he'd just unsnapped the strap on his holster, that his gun is that much easier for him to reach for even if it might increase his speed by he most minuscule fraction of a second. it's not about that, it's about the reassurance. About making sure she knows there's not a threat yet but there could be. Be ready.

"Who was that guy with the cross anyway?" She asked herself softly, remembering almost having to crane her neck to look him in the eye. That wasn't unusual for her travelling with Vash though; she'd wind up with a massive kink in her neck before long.

She saw the movement, the preparation. Despite the fact she knew he wasn't the type to shoot first and ask questions later (actually, he seemed to do a lot of asking questions before any shooting), she was confident in the fact she would be safe with him.

Her own firearm stayed put under her cloak, loaded and ready, but she didn't feel the need to reach for it. Vash could out-speed her on his worst day.

"I haven't had a hot shower in ages..." she whined. "How much further?"

Somewhere between one mostly empty (and partially collapsed) charging station and a tiny grouping of buildings that could be called a town in the broadest sense, they were walking again. Supplies weren't bad, but they hadn't been the best through the last couple of places they'd been to. Understandable, doing a little avoiding of the busiest spots until it seemed safer.

Kind of annoying, too, but Vash tried to keep that thought to himself. After all, that'd been his plan, hadn't it? Stay out of trouble. Find somewhere Skylar could stay out of trouble. Problem was how far away that might be and how much time that might take, and--

Skylar's stomach growled loudly enough to be heard over the sound of their footsteps in the sand.

"Uuuuuuuuhhhnnnnn...this sucks. You know what I'd do for a sandwich right now? Probably something more illegal than anything else I've ever done." she whined. While the resources weren't as scarce as they had ever been, they weren't always of the best quality. Dry, some rotten. Always stale. And the trip was always boring. Skylar agreed to come along with Vash on his quest and she knew it wasn't always going to be sunshine and rainbows.

Okay, it was a lot of sunshine. And that was kind of the problem, as she squinted across the desert.

There was a bit of tumbling and weak-footedness down the slope of the dune, but Skylar also made it to the bottom without incident. When Vash dug into his pocket she figured it was to clear some of the sand, but instead he brought out a can. A cold, frosty can. She could see the glisten of condensation, and probably could have a mile away.

Sephiroth winced ever so slightly at each and every particularly loud crack. It didn't look like it hurt, of course, but SOLDIERs tended not to particularly need those kinds of... adjustments. Not unless something was literally out of joint, and even then--

Best not to think too much about it, not when Skylar appeared comfortable enough. A step in the right direction, as far as he was concerned. Of course, the more Skylar explained, the more a previously easy to hide horrified expression surfaced. It wasn't that it didn't make sense, of course. That didn't make hearing about it any more pleasant.

Momentarily surrendering to the absolute need to hide his face in the palm of one hand and breathe slowly and deeply once, twice, the First assumed he was... more or less ready to sound perfectly calm and reasonable about the whole thing. Alright. One minor disaster at a time. "Would it be helpful for you to watch something instead, then? Movies, or... books? Music? Something calm to keep you from getting too bored?" There, the lowest rung of concern being addressed. Handled.

The rest was either going to have to be a very secure text to Angeal, or simply notes taken the old-fashioned way to make sure they wouldn't be glimpsed by anyone else. It was something he needed to discuss with the small group who knew about Skylar. Whatever happened after or because of it was something he had to purposely not let himself consider or it might occupy the rest of his night.

He looked worried. In fact, there was an odd expression that Skylar wasn't expecting to see on Sephiroth's face at all...was it fear? She hadn't ever known him to be fearful before.

She was cognizant of the fact she was in Sephiroth's home, and she really didn't want to overstep the boundaries of the man who worked hard to keep her safe. That being said, she already had an episode...so what was watching a TV movie at midnight going to do? Nevertheless, she decided to engage with him on the quieter activity.

"What sorts of books do you have? Like...fantasy books?"

Skylar knew he was just making a joke, but the sad smile faded from her face all the same. No, he shouldn't be jealous. He should be happy with the way his body worked and nothing more.

(Oh how wrong she would end up being.)

"I'll be okay, you know. It's not like I haven't been given nothing to do before. Sometimes when you meditate it can almost feel like sleeping." She paused, looked back over at the bathroom where she had lost a bit of herself, then back at Sephiroth.

Second Meetings Sentences

(Sentences for muses who have already met before. Adjust phrasing where needed)

"Have I told you what a great pleasure it's been working with you again?"

"You just can't stay away, can you?"

"We have a lot of lost time to make up for."

"I never did know your name."

"I'm not sure I ever thought I would see you again!"

"You know that feeling you have that we've met before? It's the same with me."

"So nice to see you again!"

"To what do I owe the pleasure of your company?"

"The department isn't a massive fan of office romance."

"Well, this is not something I'd planned. How did you find me?"

"I'm sorry, but I don't remember you."

"Fancy meeting you here!"

"I'm certainly glad to see you again!"

"Do I know you? You look so familiar."

"I never thought I'd see you again after all these years."

"So, do you ever do anything for fun?"

"It's good to see you again, despite the strange circumstances."

"You look quite remarkably different from the last time I saw you."

"You know, there's something different about you from the guy I met before. Something in your eyes."

"Oh, here comes trouble!"

"You're probably surprised to see me back here."

"Well, this is quite the coincidence! I had no idea you were here!"

"I owe you an apology. I was rude when we met, and I'm sorry."

"Do you have any idea how good it is to see you?"

"You're quite certain that we've never met before?"

"No. Absolutely not." He wasn't really talking to either of them, not Skylar and not himself, and not any particular unnamed entity potentially in control of the universe either. They were just words, offsetting the panic that he was not going to let himself feel overwhelmed by. He was going to continue tearing clothes to wrap with, to soak up the blood, to stop the bleeding--

He'd still had some fairly decent reaction time and sword muscle memory, it turned out. Unfortunately, it was for a much longer sword at a much different weight, and he just-- He hadn't, in time, in the right place before he'd managed to correct himself and his stance, and she'd--

"Who'd you promise?" Skylar asked quietly, head lolling to the left, devoid of the energy to hold it up any longer. Her words could hardly be heard over the rush of blood and ringing in her own ears.

Her stomach felt heavy, like a lead weight rooting her to the spot. She couldn't...move right. She wanted to reach for him, to wipe the sweat off of his face- why was he so sweaty? Why did he look so panicked? His normally sharp features were contorted in fear, the colour draining from his face...

and through his jacket?

"Seph...Seph you're bleeding..." With the remnants of her own strength she reached out to him and moved the hem of his jacket away to reveal several wounds, blood pulsing from torn porcelain skin. "You're hurt..."

Skylar's hand dropped with a dull thud into her lap. Her brow furrowed for a moment; her lips were wet and tacky. Was she drooling? Had she really lost so much of herself she was drooling over her friend's chest?

Skylar's eyes narrowed at Sephiroth's comment. Better not encountered, huh? No kidding. As if she was able to help who she encountered, who she was deceived by in order to be taken away.

What she saw behind the walls of that facility was horror beyond comprehension. Piercing metal, twisted bone, screams morphing to roars. Her words were quiet, but steady and knowing.

He drew in a slow breath and straightened his back the slightest bit. Shoulders ever so slightly squared, jaw lightly tilted a bit more upward. It wasn't a stance and he wasn't getting ready for any kind of battle, but all of those small motions combined was a bit of a tell. Keeping emotions in check. Trying not to think too hard about it, trying not to let himself react.

Some things really hadn't changed.

And some things... "Would you ever want to look for records again in earnest?" Normally he avoided the subject at all costs. He had his reasons, they both did. But sometimes--

Skylar contemplated his offer a moment. Instinctively her answer was no, she did not want to look up her old records, or any records and reports from that place. But on the other hand, they would be safe with Sephiroth. No one would be able to see them, no one would be able to replicate them.

"...Maybe." was her final answer. "If we find them, we burn them. Deal? That way, the final piece of that place dies."

The truth of the matter was that there wasn't a lot that Skylar didn't remember about her time in that place. There likely wasn't much that those papers could tell her. But she understood Sephiroth's curiosity and trusted him more than any person on the Planet.