navigator.

    “Depends on the point of view, I guess.” Toni knew in a fury’s eyes, he was far from innocent. He was a genasi full of dark magic first of all, and he had killed his own parents. Others too, even if usually only in self defense. “In my opinion there’s a difference between blindly slaughtering someone or giving them the benefit of the doubt first.”

@zurxworkneh·

The smell of the salt off of the sea, the taste of Paris’ blood - given willingly - still on Viraj’s tongue. There was nothing better than a life on the waves, a life that the vampire idly wished would never end. He was free of his connection to talismans to protect him from the sun, the incubus below deck had seen to that for him. “Won’t be long now,” Viraj smiled as he joined Zuri in the crow’s nest, offering her his bottle of rum as he took a seat in the narrow space. “we’re only a couple days from Tortuga.” Though he didn’t need to tell their navigator that. “Anyone waiting for you?”

@corinthbaystarters·

She had sought out the town of Corinth to find her brothers ·but she was determined to prove something of herself and to communicate the fact that she isn’t going anywhere, this won’t be like last time, she’s here to grow roots. Although she was in fact quite flighty when it came to letting someone in that didn’t resemble a younger sibling. Wishing to brush those thoughts away like the dust on her moving boxes, she heard the bell ring out through the bookstore. “Yes, Hello! Come in, Pandora’s lore is reopened!” She just needed to figure out where the light switches were.

“Mediocrity has never interested me.” Kore couldn’t be just good, or passable. She wanted to be great. She hungered for it, desired for it. Anyone who settled for less was a waste as far as the wolf was concerned. “A friend is here, up to no good as usual. He’s lost without me.” Kore said candidly, “I’m surprised to see you again, here I was thinking you’d retired to your books forever. Why Greece?”

Kit stared at her in disbelief, or shock. Whatever sort of response she was giving him was not something he was used too. More familiar with the southern forced friendliness from his home state. He wasn’t quite sure how to respond, so his smile more sheepish than he probably intended. “yes, would you rather me ask you more invasive questions?” although he probably knew the answer already, she would probably rather he didn’t speak to her at all. But now he was curious about her so that wasn’t happening. Kit knew she wasn’t human, her scent was entirely new, so as straightforward as ever he asked, “What the hell are you?” 

It was just a bit of harmless fun between old friends. Kore saw an opportunity and so she took it, though Zuri was quick to snatch the wolf’s wrist in the process, the thief was a professional for a reason. “Apologies.” The wolf cooed as she held the wallet out for the fury to take, Kore extended her free hand and let a small bracelet dangle from her fingers. “But did you want your wallet back, or this?” Kore smiled, “It’s good to see you again Zuri.”

@zurxworkneh·    /    closed.

        “   i thought i heard you were in town,  figured there couldn’t be too many other furies named zuri.  “   he acts nonchalant, like they’re strangers or mere acquaintances. as if they both hadn’t simply unraveled themselves in front of one another in the past, how many years had it been ? neither of them had changed all that much,  stuck in time eternally.  cassian had been avoiding this meeting but he wasn’t about to admit that outright. it was bound to happen eventually,  cruel lady luck he’d suppose.

       running away from situations, from people,  had become his specialty over the centuries  &  yet he finds himself here under their gaze, again.  a hundred years after whatever unnamed ..  everything that happened. he hadn’t forgotten, far from it, they were a stark reminder that caring only hurt himself  &  those around him more.  it’s easier for him not to dwell on it,  so he survives the only way he knows how.  not mentioning it,  pretending it didn’t happen for now because he doesn’t know what else to say. 

       “   ——i don’t suppose you’re the only fury in town,   are you  ?   “  with the influx of supernatural, it was to be expected, but he doubts most others would have the same leniency zuri had with him the past.

It was nearing three months since Zuri was dragged to Corinth by Calypso and during that time, they stayed in a hotel. It was nice, beautiful, and perfect for just a temporary stay but one of their employees back in Ethiopia thought it was a good idea for Zuri to find a place that was more… home-y. They didn’t want to because if they found an AirBnB that felt like “home” then it would imply that they were staying here longer. And they weren’t, this was just a little visit until they see how this upcoming war will play out. But despite their answer, the bookstore employee still sent various listings for Zuri to check out. Which explained why they were found sitting outside of Caffeine & Caffeine, a black coffee sitting next to their open MacBook. The sun was out, only a few clouds in the sky, it should’ve been a perfect day. 

Until he walked back into their life. 

Instincts kicked in, instantly noting that a vampire was nearby. Not like they were going to act on such instincts, the other furies could handle that. They have better things to do. But it was with realizing who the vampire was that it set off everything within them. While spoke easily to them like they were old friends, Zuri just stared up at him, jaw tight and hands slowly balling up. How could he act so normally after everything they’ve been through? While a hundred years have gone by and they should’ve gotten over it, Zuri was a bit sensitive when it came to love. Which meant they were sensitive about Cassian. “So people are talking about me? Hopefully whatever they’re saying is good.” Their own attempt to be nonchalant and chill despite their body language. Just relax, Zu, relax.

For now Emma’s life was no longer in danger, the fury had decided that whatever Emma’s crimes might have been they were not tantamount to her death. The vampire could not say she’d ever been in the other’s shoes, she’d never weighed the pros and cons to letting someone live. The lives she’d taken had… Well, they didn’t all deserve it, but a lot of them had at the time. “Do the Erinyes always choose well?” Emma asked, surely furies could be dangerous too. “Forever is a long time to stay righteous and good, gifted or not.”

     Their words were a bit of a relief. Toni was in no mood to pick a fight with a fury tonight, and he really hadn’t done anything to deserve it today either. Maybe in the past, but not right now. That had to count for something, right? “Then you might be the best fury around the city,” he stated simply, pushing his hands into the pockets of his jeans. “Others would have tried to get my head without a warning.”

Some of the city was still up in arms over the rifts, and there was evidence that Hektor was back to. His lackeys were easily killed, but the fury could do nothing against the original. Not because he did not have the power to, but because Alecto forbid. Her voice was a constant in his head, and there were things he simply could not say, or could not do, even as the man menaced those he cared about. The same could be said about the rifts because they were under the protection of their patrons and the Erinyes did not want a war. “I take it you’ve been at this for a long time?” 

It was odd to say she felt a bit of relief, especially considering it was Emma’s life that she perceived to be in the balance. There had been a time when she’d earned the ire of a fury, but that had been long ago. So many years she’d been running from herself, she thought for sure that the past had finally caught up to her. An unsatisfactory end felt fitting, but at least Emma could have said she had a good run. “I’m relieved.” Emma admitted before she looked at the fury closer, “I think this might be the closest I’ve ever been to one of your kind -what,” she felt silly. “…what’s it like?” 

“I think after a certain point it’s impossible for any of my kind to have remained innocent.” Emma admitted, she took her eyes off of the fury and fixed them instead to the Aegean. To say she felt unfinished would be an understatement, she’d come here to meet her father and instead met someone she’d perhaps already known her whole life. A vampire, just like her. “I’ve tried to be a good person, over a hundred years ago I came to understand that while I am here I might as well try to make the world a better version of itself than the one I was born into.”

“You would forsake your duty?” There’s a furrow to her brow, an incredulity to her words that borders on affront. Ophelia cannot imagine it, turning her back on so many people that need her assistance. To leave or simply never arrive is one matter; to witness it all and do nothing is another entirely. “This city is spinning from one disaster to the next, and you would simply choose to stand by and watch it happen?”