Solo [The Shining Diamond] All the Pretties

[Zeva]

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83 Summer 518 AV
---half a bell before Noon Rest

The dreadful storm from the night before had yet to shift and Zeva woke up in a sour mood because of it. She loathed having to keep her balcony and window shut, hated the stuffy, confined feel doing so gave her, yet she was ever loathe to let anything within get ruined from the wet. It was an uncomfortable feeling and it had seeped deep into her bones, making her feel as if she were moving through a thick sludge as she slowly - ever so slowly - put herself together before eventually - reluctantly - heading out to face it all.

The streets and walls of the various buildings that surrounded her and the plaza she was carefully navigating were slick and glossy from the rain and, perhaps, if she weren't feeling like a drowned rat she might have appreciated the way it caused bits to glint. Her focus, however, was on keeping as dry as possible, so she failed to see these small details as she jostled and pressed herself against the other huddling bodies, seeking out awnings and overhangs in a bid to shield herself from the onslaught. It seemed the sky was hellbent on ridding itself of all the moisture it had accumulated since her arrival and she and all the other unlucky denizens that had ventured out to do what they must this day were getting the brunt of it.

A rumble sounded overhead, the roll of thunder deep and booming, and she felt the vibration move through the ground. She might have found it soothing if her nice, silk blouse wasn't clinging uncomfortably to her skin. Goosebumps peppered her flesh as she manoeuvred her way through the warren of Surya Plaza, ignoring the wafting smells of fresh baked goods and slow burning, spiced bits of wood and incense. Her mission was to find the jeweller the Taiyang woman from the temple had told her about but it appeared the building was more difficult to locate than she had anticipated. It made little sense to her for a jeweller to ferret themselves away in some hidden back corner of one of Lhavit's busiest market plazas, especially when the denizens of the city seemed reliant on ornamentation and accessories, but that seemed to be the case in this instance. Peering through the streaming rain and the fog which still managed to linger, even her keen eyesight were of little help for no sign or placard was visible that she could see.

Eventually - and more out of frustration than anything else - the stubborn, strong-willed kelvic swallowed her pride and began studying the people in her vicinity, looking for anyone dressed in a way that would make her think they would know the whereabouts of the location she sought. She spotted a rather well-dressed man close by and cosied up to him, singling him out due to his finery. She nudged her shoulder into the man's arm, the drenched wrap she wore bundled about her pressing against the fine brocade cloth of a sleeve that had moved and exposed itself from beneath the handsome fur coat he wore loosely about his shoulders. The coat looked quite similar to one she had seen before - the style most Lhavitians seemed to favour - and she tucked the styling of it away for a later day when she might get herself one like it. The man, with his jowly face and thick black, inverted triangle goatee and glossy moustache, regarded her with obvious disdain and stepped away, visibly offended.

"You look like you'd know where the jeweller is." No pardons, no words of respect, her statement got straight to the point as her blue, red-rimmed eyes fell to seek out his fingers, noting the large, customs rings he wore.

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Prompt :

'Potentially violent fixation on a person (PC or NPC)'

Anytime after the storm occurs, Zeva will meet someone and immediately become fixated on them; it could be for the smallest of reasons, such as she likes their bracelet or hair. She will then begin to obsess over this person; stalking and following them, thinking of them even when she doesn't want to, always wanting to know what they're doing, etc. She will begin to feel possessive over this person, whether she has actually interacted much with them or not. Jealousy will be rampant, and this fixation very easily has the ability to turn violent. Think of it as a sick, twisted version of a very one-sided bond. The forced fixation will begin to fade at the end of the season, but whether Zeva distances herself or not is up to you.

[Zeva]

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The man continued to stare at her, visibly unimpressed with her tone and actions, and eyes scrutinising her appearance as he took the two steps necessary to put a socially acceptably distance between them. Zeva quirked her lips in an unspoken grumble and eyed him harshly. Honestly, was it so hard to give someone directions?

She moved without a moment's hesitation, eating up the space he had created so she was right back next to his arm and then seized it with little regard for propriety or decorum. The man only had enough time to widen his eyes as she lifted the tastefully dressed appendage with both of her own tattooed hands, yet, with a painfully offended, "Excuse me" he managed to yank his arm away from her.

"Just point in the general direction! Is it that hard?" She countered, equally frustrated, and once more latched on to his arm, this time at the wrist, and lifted his lank hand up to try and assist him in doing so.

Again, the man yanked his arm free of her grasp, this time wrapping his other hand protectively around the wrist that had been handled so roughly. "By the Gods," he sputtered, cheeks now holding a ruddy flush from the indignity of it all, "what is wrong with you, woman?" His eyes were wild as they left her, searching for any nearby Shinya that could aid him in dealing with this grievous affront.

Zeva huffed and rolled her eyes, lips drawing into a bitter line before she finally admitted defeat, "Fine. I'll find it myself." With that, she stalked off - but not before making sure she clocked shoulders with the man, finding smug satisfaction in feeling the swing as his body gave against the assault - not that her own didn't bounce roughly against his bulk.. but that was beside the point.

Back out in the thick of the storm, Zeva pressed on, too irritated to bother with keeping to sheltered areas as she continued her search. The sky was darkening, the rain coming down in heavy sheets yet she persisted, doing her best to ignore the chill and the wet after winding her wrap over her head to try and shield her soaked hair and face as much as she could. She was determined to find this elusive shop, so much so that she didn't notice the glow her new necklace began to give off.. nor did she notice the way the sky began to be tinge with red. It was shadowy here in the back laneways and alleys she was hellbent on poking about and she was far too fixated on her task to take in her surroundings.

It wasn't until she was back out in the thick of the plaza that she noted the odd hue. It made her think of the colour the morning sky got on days that meant storms were brewing... but it was far too late in the day for the sky to be making these colours. Syna had been up for bells - or so she suspected since the sun was not actually visible - and so she paused, taking it in as the rain continued to soak her to the bone.

It took another few twists and turns after this short break until she finally stumbled across it - or, rather, a sign with nothing but a single, solitary crystal upon it. She figured it was enough, if anything then maybe those within might be more amenable to pointing her in the right direction.

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[Zeva]

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Pushing past the door, Zeva paid little mind to the jingle of the shop bell that announced her arrival, nor did she really pay much attention to the light voice that droned out distractedly, "Guancho is away. Return in a bell after Noon Rest." No, she was too busy untangling the soaking wet wrap from her being, hands seizing one end as she gave it a sharp shake that caused the fabric to flick and give an audible 'snap'. She flung it, haphazardly folded in half, over one damp shoulder as she worked a hand through her wet, messy tendrils. Her blue eyes caught sight of the fire in the corner of the room she now found herself in and she made for it without a second thought, eager to rid herself of the damp chill that seized her down to the bone.

The owner of the voice seemed to not noticed that the patron had not left so Zeva continued as she wished, hands rubbing together in front of the fire, willing them to warm. It was far too cold for summer, she decided then and there, and scowled as she picked at the bottom hem of her soaked silk blouse, grimacing at the state of it - the scowl only deepening once she let the hem go and felt the fabric stick to her goose-pimpled abdomen. She shut her eyes and willed the fire to give off more heat and endured the annoying, periodic drips of water that fell from her hair onto her back and chest.

Eventually, it became too frustrating and her hands were up and in her hair, giving the tangled wet mane a vigorous shake. When that wasn't enough, she dropped her hands and gave her head a swift shake to and fro, wet tendrils swinging and slapping across her face, sending a small spray of water in all directions. This seemed to garner the voice's attention and it rose once more, this time sounding equal parts alert and pensive.

"Please return after Noon Rest."

Zeva straightened as she eased a hand into her mass of damp red hair, trying her best to fluff and ruffled it before tossing what she could over to one side. Her eyes followed the sound of the voice to its owner and she stilled at the sight of the woman behind the counter.

She was beautiful. No. More than that. She was other-worldly.

The kelvic stood there, mouth slightly slack, hands no longer sure of what they were doing of where they should be. Her now semi-transparent blouse clung and hung in an awkward way on her frame, sticking here and there, and her loose, striped pants held an ombre look - the bottoms a deep dark shade due to how wet the ends near her boots were. She suddenly felt a wave of insecurity at her dowdiness and how dishevelled she must look and pushed the heel of her hand along the side of the bridge of her nose before using it to smooth a wet eyebrow.

She had worn her best pieces of jewellery, the statement piece being her reason for coming here, and, without her even realising, that special necklace of hers began to glow.

Her eyes took in the woman's features as she took a few hesitant steps towards her and the counter. What looked to be carved peach pieces of stone twisted upwards from either side of her warm, sunny brown hair. Her head was adorned with a delicate headband of thin chains of silver dotted with what looked like tiny white flowers or buds. And her skin! There was something strangely beautiful about the marble-like look of her warm skin, giving her a radiate yet statuesque appearance. She was besotted and drifted as close as the strange woman would allow.

"What is your name?"

The words tumbled out without a thought, her eyes roaming the woman's face dreamily, hungrily.

The strange woman stood straighter - as if unsure how to handle this situation - and regarded this new patron with some mild trepidation. "I... am Aludra." A long, drawn out pause. "Are you.. sure you aren't here for Guancho?"

"No." Again, her mouth moved faster than her brain. She didn't even bother to wonder who this 'Guancho' was or why he would be so popular. Her whole focus - her entire world - rested on this strange woman. On Aludra. Even the sound of her name was beautiful. "I would like to talk to you."

Her fingers fluttered across the top of the countertop that separated them, finding their way to the other woman's own hands that had folded neatly over one another. They retreated as Zeva's tattooed ones advanced but the Kelvic was not daunted. It didn't even seem to occur to her why she was acting this way or feeling what she was feeling - she was just letting it all take her for a ride.

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