Shadowrun Play > Play-by-Post
Long Kiss Goodbye (IC)
ismilealot:
It had been a good week. The city was decorated for the dozen different holidays that were celebrated by different cultures and ethnicities and Arc, Yelena, Feathers and Raven had been invited to a Howler Bash that evening. Feathers had put in a brief appearance and had been happily swept away by Merlin, Blue and Tiny and citing his recent experiences with the club drugs he'd managed to stay away from most of the alcohol and the Howler women. Raven had sent a keg and a message that she was out of state and had more than one toast in her honor. Arc had invited Subaru, Tuskaloosa, and Marco and had offered to pick everyone up and drive them. Tusks bike wasn't quite finished, but Arr-Arr-Arr had scrounged a few more parts and Hrock had even scored a tailpipe and fairing that were perfect. She and Arc were certain that they'd be able to order the rest of the parts, including a couple of upgrades that had developed since her better half had been built.
SmilinIrish:
Jed thought back over the party at Arc's garage last night as he ate breakfast. Marco's behavior had been strange. But it looked like a solid team was headed to Poland. Hopefully they were a team.
Pulling up Mike in his AR view, he shot a message off. Mike, I'm about to be out of pocket, any parties left that I haven't missed already?
ismilealot:
@ Jed >>Hey buddy, Joe's got a bash this evening. He and his wife just split and he's celebrating. Just show up, he's already started drinking.<<
gilga:
Marco was radically transformed during the last few days, formally he was spending all his days studying magic. However, he cut his entire hair and spent all his days praying silently, mumbling, crying and whispering like mad man - a man in great distress and despair. He only left church at evenings, and then at home kept his poker face.
Something changed about him, the fabrics he wore were simpler and not in line with latest fashion, he stopped working and notified his clients that he was on indefinite vacation. Marco showered less, and brushed his teeth less and spent what was left of his time giving away his possessions to charities.
Marco allowed all his gang to believe that there was no point in keeping these behind. That it was okay, but he planted some subtle messages that things were very wrong. That he was in great distress. Marco knew, that such a radical decent to despair would raise all the red flags at the Vatican - but he did not care. In fact, he was planning for that. It was all clear to him, his monitor is the local priest, the one that kept offering him confessions. Normal people just go to confess - without a priest actively offering them. It was the warning of a good man that works for bad people. Thought Marco. At least this is how Marco understood the priest's behavior now that he had clarity.
After a several days of odd behavior, and giving away everything he owned. Marco received a phone call from a person that despite years of training had no last name. A person who formally did not even exist - father Gabriel. How could the priest not report such a radical change in his behavior? A change that seemed genuine as Marco said his goodbyes to everyone that he knew. Donated his entire fortune and gave away his most beloved furniture, music collection and clothes.
- "What is the matter dear? Why are you so sad? I was praying for you"
Marco replied "I am beginning to realize the errors of my ways and my sins are too many and too numerous to count. I have no hope of redemption so ethereal damnation is my fate.
I lost everything, my family, my identity, my soul - I live in exile in a culture that is foreign to me, whose values I do not share. I lost my way and I sin all the time. I cannot stop it, the passion is stronger than me. I work in the most profane of profession, in the oldest profession in the book I am a whore.
I... I... must be stopped before I sin again. Goodbye old friend, you were my only ray of light in the monastery - but you ended up betraying me just like the rest of them. I forgive you for everything, you did the best you can. "
Marco did not let Gabriel say a word, he simply jumped from the building he was standing on.
He jumped, the long seconds passed on Marco as he was wondering how it felt to actually die. Blake was a professional, the height and the impact area were carefully calculated to bring Marco close to death without actually killing him. High tech physics at its purest form, it was one of the most believable suicides ever. Should the church dig up, they would discover that Marco participated in a violent run - a run where people lost their life. Given his pacifism they are likely to assume that the poor mage was not ready to take life. He struggled for a while, but then gave up.
*****
When Marco wakes up he is at a remote medical facility, his wounds are magically healed but the phantom pain of breaking bones is still there. That moment where he stood on a tall building and just allowed himself to fall down without casting a spell to break his fall. That moment forever changed Marco.
It broke his bones and caused tremendous pain to all his friends.
Marco was unsure how long he was out, his body was still connected to all sort of medical equipment, needles and fluids. His friends and loved one, are likely to receive the bad news. To them Marco was replaced by a black urn of ash mad from Marco's own tissues. To fool forensic exploration, should the Vatican were connected enough to take a sample. It was a brilliant plan, Blake and the rest of the team were truly professionals.
Marco planned to begin his new life with Nikolai, without a single contact.
No friends, no family no nothing, at the fringe of society as a 'guest' of a diabolical Bratva that mocks everything that he is. For the first time in his life, Marco felt as a Shadow-runner. He was free - but was it worth the sacrifice?
Part of Marco hoped never to meet Yelena, that the scary lady would find forgiveness and mercy in her heart and would not pursue vengeance. The other part just wanted to see her again.
SgtBoomCloud:
[spoiler]@gilga: With the given week or so jump between DN and now, I will readily admit it feels like the events described in this post are--forgive the pun--quite a leap. It feels like a lot of assumptions seem to be made along with a lot of unexpected information to react to. And I admit I'm at a loss on how to respond to it with Arc, particularly under the OP's impression that Marco was still "alive and well" at the time of the Howler's new year bash.
With that in mind, I'm going to go ahead with my intended post and keep things fairly neutral in regards to that event, and let other players and GM response direct me on how to approach it. Thank you in advance for the understanding[/spoiler]
After the air was cleared with the team proper, Arc felt a wash of relief over her. Good. We can pull this off. That stresser gone, the mechanic kept herself busy as usual with Tuskaloosa in the garage...Yelena occasionally pitching in a hand, and Firefly helping when a particular schematic was proving difficult to find on the 'Trix. The work went smoothly, and all jobs that weren't internal to the group itself were completed by Christmas. Even Jed's bike was restored in a matter of a couple days!
In the time leading up to the prior departure date, Arc had busied her personal time between training (not quite as urgent) and spending her time with those she wouldn't be seeing for a while. Her nieces-in-Vruk were delighted by the gifts Jaime had picked out for them, and they enjoyed a pleasant holiday evening as an eth...a family. The word echoed in Arc's mind as she realized that she had a family now...two of them...these people at home with the feeling of normalcy, and the crew she acquired that she has and likely will again go on the line to protect. Never thought I'd be here...
As New Years Eve hit, it was Merlin that contacted Arc with the invites to the Howler Bash. Waking up, the short human girl yawned, tapping her tusks with a finger as she forced herself awake. Quickly performing her morning rituals and dealing with the post-sleep nausea, she washed her face and deftly responded.
<<@Merlin: Hoi, I'll be comin', and bringing some plus ones. Will be there>> Glancing off to the side, she gazed upon the go bag she had already packed for herself. Yelena had stressed that the call to leave could come at any point, so she figured she would need to be ready at any time....and the bag was either with her or in the van. The conversation with Jaime to let him know a sudden departure was likely...was passionate, and part of her felt a bit guilty for it....but he was as supportive as she could hope for, and each night together was held closer, and each kiss lingering just a bit longer.
Her mind a whirl, she realized that Jaime had to leave for work early that day anyway, leaving her alone with her thoughts wonderings as she bit her lip, dressing herself, eyes roaming to the mirror as she sent out the invites and got going with her day....
Later towards the evening saw Arc seated in the van. Not all of her intended upgrades were in place yet..but importantly, the seating had been established: each person in the group had their own seat, molded to their dimensions (within tolerance) complete with belts and even roll harnesses should the need arise. Honking the horn once at each leg, she went to pick everyone up with a lingering smile on her tusked face, and before long, everyone was piled in and heading to the shindig. The radio was working, playing an old classic as the rig rolled to the curb of the place, the bustle of the party heard from outside as the evening set in...
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