Re: Thought Dispersion (A SuvixMasq RP)

by quackers are yummylicious Tue Jul 03, 2012 11:04 pm

Jun sighed, it seemed like Rien didn’t really get it. His answer wouldn’t be any different tomorrow, either. He clicked his tongue, awkwardly patting her on the shoulder a few seconds later. “I...promise,” he frowned, though he didn’t want to get her hopes up. This would be easier if she just didn’t want him to come, but then she’d think he was a freak, and he didn’t want that. Oh well, better for her to think he was a freak than to be all upset and wondering why he wouldn’t come with her.

He took a deep breath, bringing a finger to his lips. “If I show you something, you promise not to tell anyone else, right?” he asked, smiling weakly at her. Rien was really nice, if only he could meet someone from his own world that was as nice as her.

by **Masquerade** Wed Jul 04, 2012 12:30 am

Rien was relieved to hear Jun promising, even if it meant that he still might say no. At least there was some bit of hope she could cling to. It was then that he said he had something to show her--something secret. "Of course I won't tell anyone. If you don't want anyone else to know, consider my lips sealed," she said firmly with a burning resolve, taking her fingers and pretending to zip her lips shut. Still, she couldn't help but wonder what on earth it could be. Was it more Flow magic? Or perhaps a relic from his world? A memento? Maybe just a special talent he had that wasn't related to Flow? The thoughts surged through her mind and nearly knocked her into a tizzy, but she stayed calm and focused, waiting for Jun's own response.

Kazu raised an eyebrow. It would be uncouth of me to keep observing, but then again, look at what I am. Already spied on the Council; might as well spy on these two. Besides, if either of them are up to something, it'd be best to know, the assassin thought as he crossed his arms over his chest, taking care not to hurt himself with his clawed gauntlets. He also kept an eye out for pedestrians. People wouldn't be able to see him, but if they bumped into him, they would know that something was there, and that was something he'd rather avoid. He spent a lot of time as an assassin, so a task like dodging Paradise denizens as they toured the fountain area at night was a cakewalk.

by quackers are yummylicious Wed Jul 04, 2012 12:40 pm

Jun clicked his tongue a couple times, frowning, and turning towards Kazu. “Shoo!” he grumbled, gesturing with his hands for the cloaked assassin to get lost, probably looking a bit crazy. He didn’t think that the citizens of Paradise were that rude, to stand around listening to other people’s conversations. Then again, Grace had been hiding in the bushes, listening to them before.

“This is the easiest way to explain I guess, give me your hand,” Jun frowned slightly, holding out his own hand. Sure, he could just take off his blindfold and look at her, but that wouldn’t be good. He didn’t want Rien to hate him...

by **Masquerade** Wed Jul 04, 2012 1:12 pm

Shit, I've been found out, Kazu cursed in his mind as he realized he had to go. To Jun, he was probably just another weird Paradise denizen doing some more eavesdropping. The man wasn't familiar with Kazu's powers except that of healing. Still, lingering wouldn't do any good. It's not like he cared about what the duo were speaking about, but he wasn't about to let them out of his sight. Shrugging, he dashed swiftly and quietly to the opposite side of the road and scaled the building with ease, still under his cloak of night. He flipped over the top and hid behind the ledge so that any sounds would bounce off the ledge instead of him. That made it impossible to see what was going on, but at least if there was trouble, he would be able to hear it and intervene as necessary.

Rien looked around a bit confused. Was there a bug around or something? After not being able to see anything, she blinked a few times and remained silent. Jun put out his hand while asking for her own. She snapped out of her slight daze and placed her hand gently in his own. At that point, she didn't really know what to expect from him. What was it he was going to do? She breathed slowly, in and out, waiting for what was to come.

by quackers are yummylicious Wed Jul 04, 2012 1:29 pm

Jun sighed, shrugging as he heard the eavesdropper run off, before gently touching Rien’s hand to his forehead. Surely she’d be able to feel the eye through the blindfold. He could, after all, but maybe it was just because he knew it was there. “Um... my Flow gave me a third eye. Or an eye, since I wasn’t born with any, but I can’t really...control it,” he explained quietly, stumbling over his words. This was awkward. He’d never had to explain it to someone before.

“Are there flowers or plants or something like that around here? I don’t know how to explain it, really...” he sighed, letting go of Rien’s hand and tugging on the worn blindfold anxiously. Since her world was full of fairytales, she wouldn’t freak out, right? The longer he ran with this idea, the worse it seemed.

by **Masquerade** Wed Jul 04, 2012 1:40 pm

Rien's eyes widened a bit as Jun placed her hand on the blindfold. She could definitely feel something there--it felt kind of gross. Turned out that Jun had an eye there and that he was blind because he was born without eyes at all, but why didn't he go around using his 'third' one? He relinquished her hand which just dangled in the air next to her. There was no doubt that she was a bit shocked, but she had definitely seen worse, granted she hadn't actually seen Jun's eye yet. She looked around and found a tree by the side of the road and walked over to it. "There's a tree right here on the side of the road, but I don't understand how that's relevant," she said, definitely confused by everything that was happening. She tried to convince herself that if she were patient, everything would become clear, so that's what she clung to as she awaited Jun's response.

Kazu couldn't really hear anything from all the way atop the building, but if the disturbance were major enough, he was sure to catch wind of that. Then again, he didn't have too much to worry about since there were other people around, walking down the streets and loitering around the fountain area. I'd leave, but I don't really have anything better to do. And getting to close to Quin now would definitely make me a bit unsettled. There's no doubt I went and pissed her off, Kazu thought as he kept in his position before deciding that it would be all right to peek his head up and gaze down. He saw Rien walking over to some tree by the side of the road. Were they admiring the nature? And I'm worried about what now? He ducked back down and waited.

by quackers are yummylicious Wed Jul 04, 2012 2:17 pm

Well she didn’t seem too disgusted, that was a plus. Jun followed her over to the tree, reaching up and grabbing a leaf. He smiled grimly at her, using the hand that was holding the leaf to keep the blindfold from coming off his face, while he reached around with his other hand and untied it. With his now free hand, he took the leaf and slipped it under the blindfold, staring at it for a few seconds and watching it shrivel up, before taking it back out and showing it to Rien. “I can’t really control it, so it’s really better for me to stay in the wasteland. I’d rather accidentally kill a few mutated rabbits than accidentally make one of the buildings in your world start to crumble,” he explained as he dropped the leaf, starting to tie his blindfold back up.

“Not to say everyone in my world is a freak; some people got really cool Flows, like mind reading and controlling the ground and stuff like that. Just some people got the short end of the stick,” he laughed a bit awkwardly, hoping Rien wouldn’t be too scared of him.

by **Masquerade** Wed Jul 04, 2012 3:10 pm

Rien tilted her head as Jun took the leaf and stuck it under his blindfold. When it came out, it was all dried up like it were dead. It was safe to say that Rien's head remained in its tilted position before she crouched down and inspected the leaf fiercely as if it were the most interesting thing in the world. "That's definitely an amazing power. It's a shame you can't control it," she stated simply, standing back up again before straightening her dress. "Your Flow is perfectly cool; it's the lack of the control that seems to be troubling. You know, we have a saying back on Alidaire: 'Through mana, anything is possible.' Even if you accidentally destroyed a building, we could easily repair it. And you can train your power to gain control of it. I'm sure Jonathan, the queen's confidante, wouldn't mind helping you out with general stuff. In the meantime, you can just wear your blindfold, and if there are any accidents, then we can correct them. I'll take full responsibility." She paused a moment to catch her breath. She found herself speaking rather quickly. "In Alidaire, mana can be used to do unimaginable things, even bringing back souls from the abyss. And if you're careful, we won't even have to worry about anything. If it turns out that it isn't working, someone can send you back to your own world." Jun just didn't understand, and it was no wonder. He hadn't experienced the world for himself. He only had what Rien told him to go on.

Kazu still couldn't hear a commotion. Maybe it really was just an innocent outing. Best that they be friends than piss each other off, the assassin mused before standing up, nearing the edge of the building before leaping to the next rooftop, and then the next, pausing on that one to peer down towards the fountain area one last time before heading back across the rooftops, scaling random buildings just for fun now, really. It was something he tended to enjoy in his spare time back at home, only that was scaling the sorcerer's castle's walls. His fellow assassins thought he was only practicing, but really, he took pleasure in it for some odd reason.

by quackers are yummylicious Wed Jul 04, 2012 3:37 pm

Jun remained silent for a bit. It was kind of hard to imagine himself as anything other than a monster. If Rien could do it, he supposed that with time, he’d be able to do it himself. He scratched the back of his head, chewing on the inside of his cheek in thought. “I guess I’ll go with you then... Back to Alidaire. If I can’t really screw things up too bad, then I guess it couldn’t hurt...” he mumbled reluctantly, though he was still rather hesitant about going to another world. In the wasteland, his curse didn’t matter, but...he just couldn’t shake that bad feeling. Maybe it would be different when he was actually there.

He gave Rien a small smile, hoping she knew what she was dragging herself into. He didn’t want to ruin everything for her. What if the other people in her world exiled her because she’d brought a monster among them? It was always easier to assume the ones you cared about would always accept you.

by **Masquerade** Wed Jul 04, 2012 4:14 pm

Rien clapped her hands together and grinned widely. She felt relieved that Jun opted to go to Alidaire with her instead of venturing into some world where he was on his own, left to be prey for rabid, mutated animals. However, she noted Jun wasn't the most enthusiastic, but she could understand. He was still worried about his power, not to mention that even though his world was a wreck now, it hadn't always been that way. "You won't screw up anything. I think Alidaire will be a place where you can be happy...at least once you get used to things. Everything will be all right, methinks," she chimed, twirling about cheerily. "You know, I was thinking of going to that harbor tomorrow. It would be nice to have some company. I'm thinking of asking Quin and Kazu to come along too," she said, her tone dampening slightly at the mention of the other two. Though she didn't exactly like either of their attitudes, she still thought that it would be a nice gesture to have them along. Maybe she could ease relations with them.

"Of course, that's only if the Council doesn't have any news for us tomorrow," she added quickly. She didn't want to get too settled down in this realm if she wasn't going to be spending a long time here. With how peaceful it was, it might be difficult to pry her away from it later on down the line.

Kazu hopped along from building to building until he suddenly found himself standing on the rooftop of a house or something close to the mountain passage that led to The Lift. He sat down cross-legged and looked up into the sky, closing his eyes and voiding his mind of thought. Meditation under the stars would help stabilize his cosmic powers and make them stronger. It was something the sorcerer had encouraged in his assassins, for he wanted them to be top notch. And now that I defected, I can turn that little tip against the fool, he allowed himself one final thought before succumbing to unconsciousness.

by quackers are yummylicious Wed Jul 04, 2012 4:55 pm

“I’ll tag along. Minds as well explore while we’re here,” Jun agreed, grinning at Rien. He was glad to be off the topic of his Flow, but he might have agreed to that one a bit too quickly. While he did love water of the drinking variety, large bodies of it just seemed a bit unnatural. Maybe it was just that he had more of a chance of falling in than most.

While part of him enjoyed staying in this paradise, another part of him was quite eager to get out. It was almost perfect here, and it kind of freaked him out. Plus, with all the technology, it was like he was walking on memory lane at all times. “Hopefully the Council will figure this out soon...” he sighed, before continuing. “It’s dark out, right? We should head back, I think.”

by **Masquerade** Thu Jul 05, 2012 1:14 pm

"Wonderful! Though, I do hope we get some news tomorrow. My sister is usually off on her missions and such, but I do miss her and all of my friends at the castle," Rien added sadly. Even if it had only been a day, the fact that she was worlds away from her friends and family just seemed to amplify the feelings of yearning she had to see them all again. She looked to the sky. It had turned completely dark. She didn't know how much time they had spent out in the streets, though it couldn't have been too terribly wrong. Regardless, she was about ready to head back to the Better Days Inn. She hadn't even seen her room yet, so she didn't know what to expect. She was also getting kind of hungry again, and she counted herself lucky that her stomach wasn't grumbling just yet. It would be embarrassing in front of Jun and even the nearby pedestrians.

"Sure, let's head back. I slept on a stone bench, but I'm looking forward to being able to sleep in a nice bed," Rien quipped and giggled a bit as she started heading in the direction of the hotel. As the duo walked, Rien searched for something to small talk about. "Before the Storm, what did you like to do for fun, Jun? Did you have any hobbies?" she inquired of her friend. Yes, my friend. He certainly deserves to be called that. He's been nothing but nice since we got here which is more than what could be said of the other two, the girl thought flatly. A part of her felt stupid for expecting something out of an assassin. Kazu was a stone cold killer, so what need did he have for etiquette? And she didn't even want to think about what Quin's problem might have been, but her natural curiosity led her mind astray to think more about it, random conjectures floating through her mind every now and then. Amidst the thoughts, she kept an ear out for Jun's response. Besides, it would help her get him used to Alidaire when they were able to return there.

by quackers are yummylicious Thu Jul 05, 2012 2:20 pm

“The beds are nice,” Jun assured her, though maybe that was just because he’d spent so long sleeping on the ground. Any bed would probably feel nice. Hearing Rien ask him a question, he scratched his cheek in thought. What did he like to do? It was almost like recalling the plot points from a book he’d read a long time ago. “Um...I played a lot of games with my younger siblings. I listened to a lot of music, too. Sometimes one of my friends and I would play basketball, but I always lost,” he chuckled slightly at the memories. Sports moved to fast for him to keep up, though he still enjoyed the adrenaline rush. It didn’t cross his mind that Rien might not know what basketball was.

“What about you, what do you like to do?” he asked in return, genuinely curious. Part of him wondered if she had a pet dragon that she flew around--that would be cool. Then again, the dragons might not be pets, but wise leaders... Dragons were cool.

by **Masquerade** Thu Jul 05, 2012 2:55 pm

Basketball? What on earth was basketball? It sounded like some sort of game. He had younger siblings that he played with; that was sweet. But he lost them. That must have been terrible, but I'm not going to make that fresh in his mind, Rien thought, secretly mourning all that Jun had lost mainly because he was probably the only one to do so. "That all sounds very fun, especially listening to music," she responded with a smile, her eyes alight with joy. She wondered what kind of music could be found on his world...or at least before the tragedy. There was a lot that sparked her curiosity, but she wasn't going to press on about any of it. After all, he deflected the question right back at her. As they walked along getting closer and closer to the hotel, she thought. Now that she focused on what she actually enjoyed doing, she had the urge to laugh. It was nothing to be amazed about.

"I...well, I like to read a lot. And write, as well. I spend many days in the castle garden just reading book after book beneath the large shade tree there," she admitted with a light blush. "I'll read fiction and non-fiction. I really like to learn. Scarlet was talking about taking me on as an apprentice scholar to help me build up a magical repertoire, but I was never one for casting magic," she explained, her tone dampening slightly as she spoke the last part. "See, the more knowledgeable you are, the stronger your magic is. Other people can manipulate mana to amplify their physical abilities, but that doesn't require intelligence. Anyone who is keen on strength and agility can handle using mana like that. As a matter of fact, those who tend to focus on being scholars and magicians generally have a frail constitution and lack the strength to use mana in that way." She took a moment to laugh as they turned onto the side road with the hotel on it. "Sorry about that. I didn't mean to launch into such a hefty explanation like that. I think it might be force of habit."

by quackers are yummylicious Thu Jul 05, 2012 3:56 pm

“Reading is good, though I didn’t do it much. Braille’s a bit of a pain in th’ ass,” Jun laughed, giving Rien a grin. He wasn’t sure why she kept apologizing after explaining things like that. After all, if he was going to be living in Alidaire, didn’t he need to know more about the world? “It’s alright, I might need to know these things. What if I lose my Flow and get mana instead when we cross over? This place kinda seems like a gateway between worlds, anyway, if y’ know what I mean,” he comforted, keeping up his smile, before backtracking a bit.

“What do you want to do, then?” he asked. Rien seemed really smart, and she knew a lot more about her world than he did of his. Maybe scholar didn’t mean the same thing in their worlds, or maybe he just didn’t have the right definition, but Rien seemed to be the type that would like to teach others. Maybe he just didn’t know her well enough.

by **Masquerade** Thu Jul 05, 2012 4:32 pm

"W-well, if I took up Scarlet's offer, I would eventually become a servant scholar working under the Queen. I would be sent out on missions to aid the general public, protecting them from monsters or fending off pirates when they attempted to invade. Altinor, the city where I live, is close to the ocean, so we've seen our fair share of pirate troubles. I'd basically be a magic-wielding soldier which would be great. I feel like I could be of great use...I just don't know if I'm cut out for that kind of work or not," Rien said sheepishly. It was true that she wasn't confident in her abilities. Despite possessing wondrous intelligence, she just did not have a way with magic. Even normal citizens could use at least a little bit of magic, but Rien didn't know any at all. Nor could she manipulate mana that well either. Scarlet kept promising to train her herself, but Rien didn't want to disappoint someone that she respected so heavily. It would just be too much for her to bear.

"In truth, I don't really have to do anything. With Rayne being captain of the Royal Knights, my life is pretty much made, but I've always wanted to see the rest of the world, so maybe in the end, I will try and become a scholar. It...just suits me I guess," she added as they reached the front doors of the hotel. It must not have been 11:00 pm just yet because the doors slid open and they were allowed to walk inside. "Oh! Before I forget..." Rien reached into her dress and pulled out a blank sheet of paper and the pen the receptionist had given to her earlier. She took one of Jun's hands and placed the items in it. "It's paper and pen, but now that I think about it, Rayne and Scarlet will have to believe me if I bring you to Alidaire," she said with a loud laugh.

by quackers are yummylicious Thu Jul 05, 2012 9:26 pm

Jun listened intently to Rien’s explanation. So being a scholar was definitely not like teaching. Not at all. Personally, he didn’t think that Rien would make a very good soldier, though maybe his idea of soldiers was a lot different than hers. Soldiers were killers following strict orders, and that didn’t seem to suit Rien in the least. “I think you can do anything you want if you set your mind to it,” he grinned encouragingly, before Rien handed him the pen and paper.

He clicked his tongue a few times, before turning his attention back to Rien. “I’ll write something out tonight. It probably won’t be a literary masterpiece, and hopefully you can read my handwriting,” he laughed a bit awkwardly. He hadn’t written since school, and his handwriting was never good to begin with, or so he was told.

by **Masquerade** Thu Jul 05, 2012 11:33 pm

Rien smiled at his statement. She could do anything, hm? It was a nice thought, that was for sure. "Don't worry about legibility, though I'd certainly like to read it. And I'll probably show it to my sister, so don't write anything embarrassing," she advised him and giggled before stepping back. "I'm going back to my room for the night. I guess I'll see you tomorrow then?" she chimed. Her farewell bade, she skipped off to the front desk to speak with the receptionist. She asked for more paper and a new pen which the receptionist gave to her promptly. They must have had those thing stored beneath the desk. Taking it in her hands, she trotted over to the steps and ascended them quickly. She was excited to see her room now. Making it to the fourth floor, she found her room and slid the keycard through the scanner. The door unlocked and she opened it up. She was very pleased with the color and layout of the furniture. The bathtub would probably get used tomorrow morning. For now, she didn't really feel dirty being in such a clean realm.

"Well, it's very homely. I like it," Rien said joyously as she sat herself down in a wooden chair parked under a polished wooden desk. She placed the paper and pen upon it. It felt a bit like her home. "At this time, I'd probably be doing the exact same thing," she giggled to herself before going over the pages she had already written, taking them from her dress and laying them out across the desk. Once she got everything in order, she put pen to paper once more to finish her little account.

After a while, Kazu opened his eyes suddenly. The streets below were nearly completely empty. Hardly anyone was walking around now. Standing up, he made sure to stretch before jumping off the building and landing on the ground with perfect balance, using the force of the fall and landing to jet himself down the road, and when all that momentum had faded, he sprinted farther down the road and turned sharply down the side road--oddly named Platinum Boulevard from the looks of the street sign--heading towards the hotel. When he skidded to a stop in front of the doors, he found that they didn't open. He noticed a scanner on the side of the doors and swiped his keycard through it. The doors opened just as they would during the day and he walked inside, ascended the stairs, and entered his room on the fourth floor.

"Well, I certainly don't feel too particularly enlightened," he muttered to himself before trundling over to the bed and flopping down on it on his belly. "Oh man, I hope Quin doesn't try and wring my neck when we see each other tomorrow. I'd hate to have the rough the girl up a bit," he said and sighed into the soft bedspread.

by quackers are yummylicious Thu Jul 05, 2012 11:54 pm

Jun took the elevator up to the fourth floor, much more adept at using the metal box than he had been the first time. It was easier to deal with things once he got a feel for them. It wasn’t like he was unfamiliar with the technology, either. Living here wasn’t too bad. Staying in Alidaire would be nice, too, he figured. A part of him felt guilty for leaving behind his family and going somewhere they never could, but his other half chided him that they were dead. They couldn’t go anywhere other than the city they had worked so hard in.

He fumbled with keycard a bit, cursing under his breath as he juggled the pen and paper he’d received from Rien and the keycard itself. Everything would be so much easier to deal with if he could see properly.

Finally managing to enter the room, he closed the door behind him and took off his blindfold. Locating a chair and desk, he sat down, staring at the paper before him and watching as it shriveled into something more akin to parchment. Putting the pen to paper, he started writing in a childish scrawl, something one would expect from a child half his age. “My handwriting does suck,” he laughed aloud, though part of that he blamed on not having touched a writing utensil since before the Storm.

Quin sat floating a few feet above the roof, her eyes closed as she tried to calm herself. Being angry wasn’t good. Kazu could think whatever the hell he wanted. Why did she have to care? Soon they’d all go home, and she’d never see him again. At some point, this would fade into a dream, and the assassin would fade into nothing more than a memory. And in her world, memories meant nothing. It was only the cold facts that mattered.

She continued to occupy the roof, having no real intention of leaving. It was too lonely in the room, she could lose herself there. Up on the roof, however, she felt like she was in touch with everyone. Not in a bad way, like constantly being watched, but more like having a connection with every soul in the area, no matter how weak. It was peaceful, and almost relaxing. She turned her gaze up towards the stars once more, watching as they grew brighter as the lights of Paradise winked out one by one. Maybe in its own way, this place really was a paradise, even if its government system didn’t seem much different than her own.

by **Masquerade** Fri Jul 06, 2012 12:51 am

Rien spent most of the night writing, getting up to use the bathroom every now and then while scrounging around for foodstuffs which she found in a mini fridge next to the bed. She was astounded by its presence; they had iceboxes in Alidaire, but this machine was definitely more advanced and seemed to run off of a electricity whereas the Alidairian iceboxes were fueled by ice mana. She was delighted to find some yogurt and bottled water inside, along with some fresh berries, apples, oranges, mango, and bananas. It was quite the spread for a health nut. Rien took a yogurt and an apple. There were a few dishes and eating utensils on top of the fridge in a sealed container. She wound up cutting the apple and dipping the pieces into the yogurt. It was some of the best food she had ever tasted in the entirety of her life. The sweetness of the apple was to die for, and the yogurt's consistency was so creamy that it made her mouth want to hold the substance in it just for the feeling. She found it was hard to swallow and finally forced herself to, sighing in content afterwards.

Placing her dishes to the side, she went back to writing and eventually managed to finish her account up until the point where she entered her room and began to write. It had to have been pretty late by then, but she wasn't exactly tired. Taking her pen, she started to draw what appeared to be a garden using the hatching technique. The structure and base of the plants were easy, but she found the details of the flowers themselves to require the most attention. Her eyelids began to droop about three-fourths of the way through it and she stood up, a yawn escaping her mouth. She cut the main light off and trundled over to her bed which was way more comfortable than the stone bench from before. It was akin to sleeping upon a cloud. It took her no time at all to go out like a light.

Kazu had remained lying on his bed on his stomach for what appeared to be a long while. A nostalgic look graced his face before he eventually rolled over and crawled up to the pillow. "Eri, I wish you could have seen this place. To sit atop the tallest building with you and gaze up at the free sky. To hold you close when it got too cool, and plant a soft kiss upon your cheek..." he spoke in almost a whisper, his voice trailing off at the end as he looked at the wall since he had since turned on his side. "I think our world could be like this, though we'd have to make it run by the people. You always knew those guys down in Amber City knew exactly what they wanted in a government. I think the people are perfectly capable of handling themselves. I guess we'll find out because I am killing that damn sorcerer if it's the last thing I do. For you, Eri, my one true love..." Kazu's eyes closed and he practically breathed out the last words softly as he began to drift away into a solemn slumber.

by quackers are yummylicious Fri Jul 06, 2012 5:50 pm

After about only a half hour of writing, Jun found himself yawning far too often to focus on writing. The bed was calling his name, and he quickly submitted to the temptation of sleep. He flopped down on the bed, burying his face into the pillows and sighing contentedly. This was the life. Tomorrow I should pack my backpack full of supplies, just in case... he mused, mostly out of habit rather than necessity, as he drifted off to sleep. It didn’t really occur to him that he wouldn’t be returning home but rather going to Alidaire. The idea of visiting another world would take a while to get used to.

Quin allowed herself to yawn, slowly floating back down to the roof and sprawling out. The cold stone of the roof felt nice on her skin, as did the soft breeze blowing over her. The lights in the sky looked so far away, she momentarily wondered how the Council built them. Probably with some sort of magic, she concluded, allowing her red eyes to flicker shut.

She could hear some sort of chirping in the distance that seemed to resonate quite nicely with her shallow breathing. It was almost like some sort of strange lullaby of this unfamiliar land. A content smile crossed her face for a moment, and she was surprised at how naturally that had come. She’d only ever smiled before for the Dictator’s “great” achievements, and those smiles didn’t come easily. Yes, her mother and father would like it much better here. With that thought in mind, she allowed herself to drift off to sleep, dreaming of her family and hoping for a better future that didn’t end with their destruction.

by **Masquerade** Fri Jul 06, 2012 6:36 pm

Morning came too quickly. Kazu sat up in his bed, scratching his head and wiping away just a tad bit of drool from the corner of his mouth. That sleep had been one of his most peaceful yet, and nothing but good dreams had danced through his mind in the depths of slumber. He was tempted to lay back down, but managed to stand up while letting out a loud yawn. Through his squinted eyes, he could see a piece of paper lying on the floor in front of his door. Shuffling over to it, he picked it up. "'To Our Visitors: Howard, Representative of Humility, requests your presence at the Council Building as soon as you get this message and manage to get yourselves together. He and the rest of the Council bear news concerning your arrival in this land. Thank you.' Well now, that's what I'm talking about," the assassin muttered and stuffed the paper into one of his pockets before heading to the bathroom to wash his hands and face while trying to do something with his messy hair. When somewhat satisfied with his appearance, Kazu cut off the bathroom light and headed out the door making sure he had his keycard on him before letting the door shut. Not worry about what the others were up to, Kazu headed to the stairwell and made his way down to the lobby only to spy Rien sitting on the couch. He waved at her in response to a lighthearted wave she offered him. She really was a radiant young woman. It made him wonder how she could be so cheery all the time?

Rien arose and paced towards Kazu waving around a bit of paper that had a message on it. "It looks like we'll get to hear some news today after all," she chimed before spinning around happily. "I can't wait to get back home. This place is so nice, but you know the saying: there's no place like home." Rien had awoken a couple hours earlier. She noticed that her dirty dishes had been taken out and replaced with clean ones. She assumed it was some kind of service from the hotel. Taking note of that, she had sat down to finish her drawing and let it dry before tucking it into her dress. Scarlet always liked her art.

Reaching into his pocket, Kazu took out the message he had found in his room. "Looks like they gave one to each of us," he stated simply before pocketing the thing again promptly. "It says to go as soon as we're up and ready; I'd like to get there as soon as possible, as I am sure the others are as well. Where are they anyway?"

"I-I'm not sure. I didn't get down to the lobby until about maybe fifteen minutes ago. I've been sitting on the couch reading the account of yesterday that I wrote," she explained, suddenly keeping her eyes peeled for the other two.

by quackers are yummylicious Sat Jul 07, 2012 12:51 pm

A few minutes later, Quin stepped out of the elevator, rubbing an eye. Seeing Kazu and Rien, she glanced down at the note in her hand, before back up at the two and walking towards them. “I guess you both received the note as well?” she asked, holding up her own. A very tiny part of her wanted to punch the stupid assassin’s face in, but she was doing a pretty good job of keeping herself in check. She was completely in control of her emotions now.

Jun on the other hand, took much longer to wake up. He’d forgotten how comfy beds were. Once he woke up, he trudged directly to the bathroom, running a hand through his hair before he tied on his blindfold. He could pack a backpack with no sight, he’d done it before. No point in ruining his supplies. It was best to always be prepared.

With that in mind, he quietly hummed to himself as he packed, completely oblivious to the note that had been slipped under his door

by **Masquerade** Sat Jul 07, 2012 1:13 pm

"Ah, there's Quin. Good morning," Rien said politely, producing her note. "Yes, both Kazu and I received similar notes. I'm glad the Council was so prompt with their investigation. We really will have to thank them...even if they don't seem too keen on wanting to keep us in Sanctuary anyway," she added sheepishly, even though it was no fault of hers or Jun's that that was the case. It was Quin and Kazu's stupid tirade yesterday that left a bad taste in the Council's mouth, and it turned out that they hadn't even deserved such disrespect, but Rien didn't want to start trouble. There was no point since they might all be going home soon. The day would be a game, and she was just going to play along until everything returned to normal and she was back in the queen's castle in Alidaire with Jun. Wait a minute...

Kazu turned when Rien mentioned Quin, and surely there she was. Her face was unreadable like it was for most of yesterday. That was a disturbing feature of hers. It was hard to judge her intent, granted he was swift enough to react to any betraying body movements. He expected a slap in the face or a kick to the jewels, but she seemed perfectly reserved. Maybe his words hadn't fazed her at all which wouldn't be all that surprising considering she was nothing more than a monster. Then again, even some of the monsters back on his home world born from the cosmic taint of the dark tendrils seemed to exhibit joy in killing and raiding small towns, and that counted as emotion. Kazu coughed into his hand, intent not to mention his talk last night with Quin in front of Rien. "What Rien said," he stated simply, not bothering to show her his note. "Guess they thought it would be more effective this way. I half-expected for Grace to come and collect us when they had news, to be honest," he said with a lighthearted smile, though there was a trace of nervousness in it just from Quin's presence.

by quackers are yummylicious Sat Jul 07, 2012 1:34 pm

Quin raised an eyebrow as Kazu coughed. What did he get sick? She figured an assassin would be more resilient than that. Though why would he be coughing if he wasn’t sick? When he smiled, her confusion faded, and she realized he was nervous. About what? Her? That was ridiculous, he was at least a good head taller than her. What happened to all that bravado he’d possessed last night?

She nodded idly in response to the chitchat that she was sure was going on around her, rocking back on her heels, before a thought struck her. “How much do you want to bet that Jun got a note as well?” she asked, sighing at the thought of the Council being so stupid. Hadn’t it been obvious by their visit that he was blind? After all, he’d been very confused in that room.

Jun simply continued to pack his bag, wondering what kind of foods they had in Alidaire. Despite the fact that Rien seemed to be very knowledgeable on the subject of her world, he still wanted to experience everything for himself. This was kind of exciting. After all, he’d only really known two places, the city and the wasteland, and Alidaire sounded much more wondrous than both of them.

by Sponsored content