|
Post by CJ on Dec 1, 2013 2:08:42 GMT -5
Coffee shops were one of many places Beth liked to go when she had some rare time to herself. She leeched onto public places. Her Devil Fruit turned her into a parasite, feeding off of the energy of others and removing the need for her to create her own, in food or sleep. She only took energy from people she cared about in emergencies.
One of these people was Solaine Winterfield, but it wasn't because Beth ever wanted to be her friend. It was because she held her family's future in her hands.
Looking around, she glanced at the other customers in the tiny, quaint shop. She had heard of a coffee shop being attacked in Water 7 years ago but she was sure nothing of the sort would happen today. She breathed in the air around her, feeling the energy of the customers flow into her. It wasn't all too different of a sensation than the sun's rays on her face from her seat by the window.
Sipping on her mocha, she looked coldly at the Grand Path coordinator.
"What do you want to talk about, Solaine?"
|
|
|
Post by Shark a' Pult on Dec 1, 2013 2:50:22 GMT -5
A cup of nothing but ice was probably not the most common request at a place like this, but Solaine had one, crunching away as usual.
"Well I hope you don't mind me asking, but I wanted to know how you were holding up. That is, I mean, you and your family. I never knew Connor before he was part machine, and I can't imagine what you had to go through to get him back to the way things should be... I guess, I just want to know if the journey was worth it?"
She would have laughed, were it not for the nature of the conversation. Not because of Connor or his past, but simply because of how out of place she felt at that moment, and she thought Beth probably felt the same way. In a place as simple and quaint as this, and here they were; neither of them exactly 'normal' people, talking about machine people and perilous journeys. It was almost surreal, and she wondered if it bothered Beth as much as it bothered her.
"It wasn't all peachy here while you were gone, but after seeing what happened to Kaede... I feel a bit guilty. Like... like maybe I should have gone instead, not to go through what she did, but to help. I know you guys have been dealt a bad hand, and I want to help out however I can." Her eyes lowered to her cup. "I guess I just want you to know, if there's anything you need, I'm here and you can count on me for it. And not just because of some guilt or anything."
|
|
|
Post by CJ on Dec 3, 2013 13:15:58 GMT -5
"Was it worth it?" Beth repeated, looking out the window. "I'm not sure. In the end, all we did was trade Kaede's livelihood for Connor's. It was my failure to make sure Kaede was treated properly in Eight Gates, or whatever that place was called. I should have been by her side, not Connor's, and been the one to make the decisions for her well-being. If I had done that, I think she would have been much better off. At this point though, it's only speculation, but it's something I don't think we'll ever truly get over."
With a loud slurp, she drank the rest of her mocha. She never had to drink coffee because of her abilities, but she enjoyed the taste of it, especially when her husband brewed it.
"Not a lot of people knew Connor before he met the Warlord. He's not that much different physically. It's the little things that's changed, like his smile and the way he carries himself. Like, he doesn't have to worry about his arm turning into a cannon. Now it's whether or not he'll light up in flames. Fortunately, Meek's fire proof so he can hold him, but my son was never cannon proof."
Just then, Beth imagined the child shot off into the air by an adorable cannon. She nearly forgot to imagine the happy cushion landing.
"You've already done enough, Solaine," she tried to reassure the coordinator. "Don't worry about our business. We'll contact you whenever I want to proceed in the rankings. Unless Number 4's got anything planned, I don't plan on doing anything anytime soon."
Beth didn't trust Solaine, but she didn't trust most people. Sure, she found companionship in Kaede, Shroud Demon, Camellia and Finnegan, but that was only because she had struggled with them and learned to trust them. She couldn't be as easily accepting of Solaine as Joe Smith was, but she had least tried to put on a good face for the coordinator, though, for Beth, that was a rather unemotional frown.
"You feeling any better?" she asked blankly. "It must have been pretty bad for Joe to still be worked up about it."
|
|
|
Post by Shark a' Pult on Dec 8, 2013 4:04:13 GMT -5
"You've already done enough, Solaine, don't worry about our business. We'll contact you whenever I want to proceed in the rankings. Unless Number 4's got anything planned, I don't plan on doing anything anytime soon."
In about as many words, Beth summarily told Solaine she didn't want anything to do with her, and like that her demeanor changed ever so slightly. Her smile wasn't as wide, her speaking wasn't as cheery, and she wasn't so lively anymore. None of it was forced before, but some of it might have been now. What was impossible to tell though, was whether this change was because of Beth, or Kaede.
"You feeling any better? It must have been pretty bad for Joe to still be worked up about it."
"It... was a close call, for sure. I've lost plenty of sleep over it, and I've still not recovered, not completely. I put on a good enough show for the others, but sometimes I need to sit down and catch my breath."
Solaine's hesitation in talking about the subject was obvious, to some extent an indicator of how profoundly the attack had affected her. She felt like she could be honest with Beth though, and told her what she would not have told anyone else. The truth was that more than anything else, the attack made her feel vulnerable. The physical injuries would fade with time, but the mental scars were not so easily done away with. That she had no idea who her attacker was, that she had no idea what he wanted, and that she hadn't even gotten a good look at him was more harmful to her than having her bones split by playing cards.
"Actually that was one of the reasons I wanted to talk. I got some of these in the mail recently, I think they were intended for anyone with government affiliations."
Reaching into her suit jacket, she drew forth a bundle of papers and a letter, plonking them all on the table in a neat little pile. The stack of papers itself, might have seemed somewhat odd in appearance. It looked as though they had been designed as revolutionary propaganda posters at one time, but had now been reprinted/printed over with one purpose in mind now; advertisement. Across all of them printed in boldface capital, the letters of "NEW LIFE" emblazoned across the posters, over images of raised fists in defiance and struggle or scenes of vile creatures being thrown off thrones of power. Really all you might expect to find on a typical propaganda poster, but they had all been refashioned now to announce a grand opening of a country to which anyone and everyone was invited. Apart from simple invitations alone it seemed that people were being invited to immigrate, to come and live there. Promises of a new life, starting over with freedom, opportunity and privileges unmatched. If the posers were to be believed, then the notion of living there would likely seem appealing to many.
To top it all off, was a letter, which Solaine took off the top of the stack and handed to Beth.
"Normally I would have just pushed this off on someone else, but after all that happened since you guys left to help Connor... and now that you're all back, I was thinking of taking some time off."
The letter indeed more or less detailed what Solaine had said, requesting the recipient to travel to a place called Vengeance, and to attend its grand reopening. A worlds fair of sorts, where everyone and anyone were invited, and all manner of countries were requested to participate and bring or create their own exhibits to show off. Of course, if everyone was invited, then there would have been no reason to send letters specifically asking for people. In this case however, the letter addressed specifically to Solaine indicated some manner of VIP status. This alone seemed to indicate her belief that the same letter was sent out to anyone involved in the government, was false. Regardless, among all the details in the letter, Beth would find two tickets.
"It seems really nice and all, and with two tickets... well, I was thinking of bringing Joe with me. I mean, I haven't asked him yet and he might just say no, so it wouldn't matter anyway but I... wanted to make sure it was alright to ask him in the first place. If it was ok to take him, if he did want to go."
Solaine wasn't sure how Beth would react or respond, so she spoke with a degree of hesitation, hoping she hadn't overstepped her bounds.
|
|
|
Post by CJ on Dec 9, 2013 18:23:57 GMT -5
"Vengenance," Beth read. "That doesn't sound like a friendly place. People make fun of me for naming my restaurant Happy Happy, but at least you know what kind of service you're getting."
Holding the letter up, she nearly pressed it against her face. Solaine might have noticed her doing this once or twice. Perhaps she had bad eyesight or simply liked to read that way.
"Huh, you really must be important to the Government if this is addressed specifically to you. Well, I agree you need some time off but I don't know why you're asking me. I can only hope for you that Vengenance is the opposite of what it sounds like."
Beth grew quiet when Solaine mentioned Joe. It was no secret that she was bitter with him, but for what was anyone's guess.
Sighing in surprise, she leaned back in her chair.
"It's a tough call. Joe can't hold himself together without his brother. Since you're close to him, you should know that we've been letting them use the excuse that they owe us financially so they're not embarrassed about staying at the restaurant. Truth be told, Joe's not capable of living by himself at this point, so wherever Nathan goes, he goes. We call them brothers, but their connection goes deeper than family relations.
"I'm not sure what they are to me, but I know I'm not their caretaker anymore."
For a moment, she looked distraught. Her eyes drifted toward the window. She placed her hand on her cheek.
"That being said, I think it's time they should separate for a short while. This could be fun for you guys. You have my support, Solaine, but you'll have to talk to Joe about it. Don't be surprised if he turns down the offer."
|
|
|
Post by Shark a' Pult on Dec 13, 2013 6:16:20 GMT -5
"That being said, I think it's time they should separate for a short while. This could be fun for you guys. You have my support, Solaine, but you'll have to talk to Joe about it. Don't be surprised if he turns down the offer.""Well even if he does, I could always just ask Nathan instead, then he'd have to go."She laughed a bit at this, though felt reassured now that Beth wouldn't mind her asking. --- Vengeance was a big, big city. Or was it a country? It was hard to tell on the approach, as across the waves in the distance, it resembled a vast glowing mountain in the night sky. Upon drawing ever closer however, it would become increasingly apparent that the mountain was in fact the steady rise of buildings, from the coast to the "summit". Only, not a one of them was built upon a hill, mountain, or any such geological formation. Instead, the buildings only got taller, and taller, and taller the farther in they were. Some statement, that the structures closest to the coast were well on their way to being skyscrapers, and those towards the epicenter dwarfed even those. At some point, getting close enough it would begin to hurt, the amount that one would need to lean their head back to even attempt to see the tops of the buildings. Needless to say, it would take some time to get used to on a normal night.
This was not a normal night however.
A worlds fair was about the closest thing the celebration could be described as, for the whole world may as well have been there to celebrate. It certainly seemed that way. The vast streets between the towering buildings were flooded with people, able only to make way just barely enough for parades to move through, floats drifting through the crowds like great beasts amidst a herd. What made it ever more mind boggling though was that it was not merely the streets were alive; the buildings themselves were open to the public, and thereby an extension of the streets. It didn't matter that they were office buildings or shopping centers, during the celebration there was no such thing as off limits or closing time. Furthermore were the over streets, resembling great platforms and walkways spanning the space overhead to link the tall buildings together when the entire country was not celebrating, like a spiderweb network of bridges and pathways between the skyscrapers above not unlike the canopy of some titanic forest of illuminated metal trees. Whether it was the second floor right above the street, or the hundredth floor seemingly among the clouds, even these crosspaths through the air between structures were flooded with people and celebration.
Faced with the great banners and posters adorning the buildings above proclaiming victory and new life, it was easy to get lost amidst the frenetic madness of the rain of streamers and confetti, the assault of lights and music from everywhere at once, and the push of the crowd in no particular direction at all. It was almost like in this place and this moment, even such basic principles as time and order were suspended as everything seemed to come together and thrive in the beautiful chaos.--- Solaine liked to imagine that she was well-traveled, regardless of her profession. She visited and saw all sorts of wondrous places a met every kind of person imaginable in them. Despite that, she had never seen anything like this. Whether it was the sheer enormity of the colossal structures towering overhead, or the magnitude of the celebrations was unclear, but she was caught entirely off guard regardless of whatever expectations she may have had. Joe would be no stranger to seeing her like this, that almost childlike wonder she tended to adopt when even someone like her was truly amazed by something; the way she tended to act around him and his inventions. Because of this though, she made the mistake of running headlong into the madness and was quickly overwhelmed by the celebrations. In truth it had only been roughly twenty minutes since they departed and they had only just reached the main streets of the city, but already Solaine felt like she had seen and felt enough energy for an entire weeks work. She couldn't understand it, but she felt exhausted almost, having been so suddenly and roughly assaulted by it all. At the same time though the celebrations, that energy, was almost infectious to the extent where she almost wanted to dive back in. "Well Joe, you can't say I don't take you nice places!"In a place like with all that was going on, it was impossible to find an out of the way area to try and rest or take it easy. Relatively speaking though, Solaine had managed to find a bench to rest that afforded enough room for her and Joe if he also wanted to sit down. It was located up on one of the walkways extending between two of the skyscrapers, about six stories up. All around them though were people cheering and going with the flow, so he might have to squeeze a little. Better though, than the streets below, the sea of moving faces. "How do you think the others would react to all this?"She had to shout to be heard, now that fireworks were starting to burst overhead, playing multi-colored light across everything. It was difficult to try and have a conversation, but it was helpful to have Joe there, almost like an anchor to rely on amidst the chaos all around her. Despite the rough start she didn't regret coming here for a second, nor did she regret bringing him along, and she looked to him for his answer and opinion with her complete attention. As usual, she sought his approval, and dearly hoped it was not a mistake to bring him. He would probably be able to tell as much in her eyes, periodically illuminated in all hues by the explosions of colors overhead, amidst the constant downpour of confetti (some of which had gathered on her shoulders while she had been sitting).
|
|
|
Post by CJ on Dec 15, 2013 18:36:07 GMT -5
"I'm not sure," Joe responded with a wide smile. "I think it'd be surprising, but I think they'd come to like it as much as us."
Shaking his head, he laughed.
"No, wait. Mrs. Anderson wouldn't like it very much. She can't stand cities or technology."
Peering up, his eyes took in one of the posters overhead.
New Life.
The phrase disturbed Joe on a deep level. Like most people, he was scared of change in his life. But his fear went further than typical life problems. It was a terrifying subject that constantly threatened his physical and social well being.
If he had his way, he'd stay by Nathan's side as his brother forever.
So why did Joe agree to Solaine's proposal? It was ludicrius. He had never separated himself from Nathan before, especially to his degree. They were countless miles away from each other, connected only through Den Den Mushi's and a recording in a tone dial in Joe's pocket. Joe could contain his physical form as Nathan's brother with enough focus now, but there was no telling what could happen as his and Solaine's journey went on. Separation simply had never happened with the brothers. To put it simply, it was a reckless gamble.
But to be alone with Solaine, it was worth it. As he took in the sights and jazz, his emotions swelled. He felt like telling her everything, what he really was and how much he loved her. The crowds of people encircled them, but somehow Joe was able to block it all out. Somehow, he could only see Solaine.
Joe went to take her hand in his.
"I have a confession to make, Solaine."
With a few short breaths, he mustered the courage to speak his mind.
"I've never been to a party before. Like, a real party. I've been to Meek's first birthday but that was a baby's party. I have no idea what to do here."
Sighing, he cursed himself internally. He couldn't bring himself to do it. Oh well, he figured. He figured there was plenty of time to tell Solaine the truth. For now, he was happy to enjoy the night with her.
|
|
|
Post by Shark a' Pult on Jan 20, 2014 21:37:22 GMT -5
"I've never been to a party before. Like, a real party. I've been to Meek's first birthday but that was a baby's party. I have no idea what to do here."
"Well that's fine, because I have no idea what to do either!"
Despite coming from high society, Solaine was not exactly a socialite herself. She could remember there being lots of formal events when she lived with her family, but she always tried to stay out of the way, or managed to duck out with one of her siblings or a servant. That said, this was not exactly a formal event, nor a party. She had only a vague idea of what the purpose of all this was and why they were here, so apart from reaching their designated lodgings, she was just about as clueless as Joe was.
As another firework exploded overhead and people nearby started cheering and clapping, she stood up with a smile amidst the green light, holding a hand out to him.
"Let's go find out."
---
"Look at them all, Princess. How many do you think are down there? I'm sure someone here knows, but honestly I lost count a long time ago."
Staring through his own reflection in the glass at a portion of the city far, far below, Roderick found himself to be a million miles away from the celebrations going on. Compared to the rest of the vast city, this room in particular was towards the very summit of the artificial mountain that the metropolis seemed to form with its buildings of increasing height. At this high up, it only further drove Roderick's feelings of isolation from his people, the countless masses below only appearing as a stream of lights at best between the buildings.
"You know they all looked up to me, all depended on me? From what I hear, they still do, but..." putting his hand on the glass, he slowly came to rest his head against it. "...how many before it's too much? Tens, hundreds, thousands? Eventually I've just tuned it out, how did you cope with it?"
"We never had to cope with it. My father always considered it a privilege. The people of Myrysaea we our family, and we were theirs."
Roderick laughed at her mention of the old country, and he found it appropriate that he would be in charge of possibly the only remaining vestige of those times. They were quite at odds though, he and the Princess. The man in shackles and the woman in regal gown, the rebel and the monarch. Only, his chains were in as good a condition as the day they were made, while her clothes were falling apart. Battered and bruised, Roderick saw more than just her beaten body when he looked at her. He remembered what her castle looked like and how small it would have seemed from up here in his tower, how nice her bedroom may have looked from her tiny prison cell.
"Well I'd say we've got at least a few more people now than your kingdom ever did. How many do you think, until they don't just run a Buster Call on this place? Till it's too risky?"
"Listen to yourself, Jack. I'm no fan of Vengeance, but the war was bad enough. If you go through with this... it will be the end of you, and this country you've made."
If only for a second a slight smile played across his face, as his hand slid down the glass to fall to his side. Without warning he moved for the Princess and without hesitation struck her hard, sending her to the floor. She didn't have much time to react, because already he had his hands around her neck, bringing her face closer to his.
"Why do you have to go and say such things? If you keep acting up, I might just marry you off to that fat Prince from Galatae, or maybe even Matthias? They treat outsiders well in Galatae, and I hear it's nice in Regala this time of year, what do you think about that?"
Strengthening his grip, he watched intently as she struggled out of instinct to fight back. A part of him wanted to watch that last vestige of the old times fade away, to do so with his own hands. The better part of him knew though that she was a bit more important than that, and he began to drag her to the window, pressing her face against it when they reached it.
"I would think you of all people would like to see all this gone, but that's not why I think you're still against the idea. I think you're against it, because you know it could work. Because you know I could win."
Maybe there was truth to his words, or maybe he was actually insane. Either way it was hard for her to argue with him. Whether it was because of the world power he had carved out of the ashes of her family's kingdom that stood before her to see, or because he could simply squeeze the life from her, was of little consequence. She couldn't deny that of all that had been done to bring things this far, if anyone could carry things to completion, it was him.
Only, she knew, that he was merely picking up the pieces of someone else's work. Someone else who had made Vengeance what it was, only for Jack to come along and repackage the final product to his designs. It was for that reason perhaps more than any other then, the cause of his ongoing hostility and cruelty towards her. Because she knew the truth, the simple truth that would destroy him and his plans, surer than any revolution or world war ever could.
---
"No, no this won't do! I specifically requested a bigger room or at least more beds, I'm not on my own!"
It wasn't a telephone or even a snail phone, but some similar device with a separate speaking and listening apparatus connected by wires that led into the wall. It took Solaine some getting used to, as she was not familiar with this level of technology. Heck, even electricity was an unfamiliar territory to her. Eventually though she managed to work the machine well enough (likely with Joe's help) to make contact with the front desk, so that she could try to get the situation sorted out.
"I understand you're dealing with a lot of people, but surely they can't all have brought someone with them, why not just have us switch rooms with someone like that?"
The trip through the celebrating city was mind-wracking with all the extravagant celebrations going on, but eventually Solaine managed to find a way to the place they (and other high priority visitors) were to stay during their visit, during the celebrations. It was the central skyscraper of the country no less, which itself dwarfed even the other buildings that could be described as very large skyscrapers, but they were not that far up. Relatively speaking since looking outside their window, it was a several hundred foot drop to the streets below, but the building itself rose up far higher than that.
Still though, it was a nice place, decidedly art-deco-y and looking like it had been built very recently. Their room was no exception, a very well-furnished and comfortable place. The problem was that it was for one person and had one bed, so Solaine would be the one to stand up and try to improve the situation. Hopefully they would be changed rooms but for now it seemed there would still be a while till that chance. Worst came to worst, she could always sleep on the floor or in one of the chairs, since she wouldn't dream of keeping Joe from having the bed.
Eventually being given the run around, that they would get right on it, Solaine ended the connection and set down the device. Plonking down in one of the chairs in a somewhat annoyed fashion, she considered their options.
"Well, the opening ceremony or whatever it is for people like us who were special invited, is going on in a bit. What do you want to do then?" She looked over her own invitation and one of the posters as she spoke, still not exactly sure what was entailed with this grand opening thing, beyond mass country-wide celebration. "You don't have to go if you don't want, could just stay in the room. I think at least though, I have to go, but you're welcome to come along. It probably won't take that long, and then we can figure out what to do after."
According to the clock on the wall, it was nearly eight in the evening, so they had awhile still before the event at nine. She would see what Joe wanted to do though, since her only real obligation by coming to Vengeance was to show up at the formal event later.
|
|
|
Post by CJ on Jan 21, 2014 23:59:17 GMT -5
"I want you to be my brother."
Joe tugged at his one eyelid, watching in the mirror as gray reflective substance seeped back into his skull from underneath the fold. It wasn't outwardly noticeable, but he wanted to make sure it didn't start to spread. It was always his eyes that were the first things to go when he lost his form as "Nathan's brother," so he had to be careful. He managed to keep himself stable with a voice recording of Nathan, but he could only manage not listening to it for an hour before he felt like he was losing himself. Just earlier that day, it had been two.
He figured he was just getting nervous about being alone around Solaine. Holding her hand coming here didn't help much to calm his excitement. Fortunately, his custom tone dial was small enough to fit in his pocket so he didn't really have anything to worry about. Right?
Just as Solaine finished her call, Joe stepped out of the bathroom and smiled nervously. He stood at the other end of the room and gestured wildly with his hands. He was so preoccupied with the excitement of the day that he didn't care about the possibility of sleeping on the floor (he assumed Solaine would readily accept the bed if he offered).
"No, I couldn't stay here! I have to support you in case you need me. Besides, I couldn't waste the opportunity to wear this!"
Reaching into his small luggage, he pulled out a neatly folded black suit. It wasn't the most expensive thing, but was good enough to wear for the occasion. It came with an extremely awkward tie with waving, clashing colors.
"Mr. Anderson's got some kind of disliking toward suits so he gave me this one! It's slightly big on me but I couldn't refuse it. I mean, I've never owned a suit and I've definitely never been a special anything. But this is all about you, not me. If it wasn't for you, I'd be still in Water 7, not knowing this was ever happening."
Walking toward the window, he peered down at the incredible skyline. The light of the festivities were beautifully radiant. He had never seen anything like it before and supposed he might never again.
"Is your whole life like this, Solaine? Why would you ever want to stay back at the restaurant when the world's at your finger tips?"
His chest felt heavy. Why was he suddenly feeling this way? He tried to fight off any jealous feelings for Solaine, dangerously mixing in his admiration for her. He couldn't imagine living independently, much less with her status and career. He immediately regretted asking the question, even if she never guessed his true motives for saying it.
|
|
|
Post by Shark a' Pult on Jan 30, 2014 4:54:03 GMT -5
"Hah, well allow me to be the first to say, that you look good in a suit. I'm glad you're here Joe, these sorts of things can be so nerve wracking. If you've got my back, I feel..." she had some momentary trouble, trying to find the right words, "...having someone I know so well, I don't have worry about feeling out of place. At least, we can feel out of place together."
Solaine clapped a little and gave a small gasp when she saw Joe's attire, feeling a combination of pride at being able to bring him along to something like this for his first time, and admiration at the young man for his ability to adapt. She remembered when she was his age, she would probably not be able to cope with things as well as he was. Actually, she didn't want to remember herself at his age, and tried to think of other things.
"Is your whole life like this, Solaine? Why would you ever want to stay back at the restaurant when the world's at your finger tips?"
"I... don't like to travel alone. I've never really had anyone there for me, anyone to share these experiences with, so I try to avoid them if I can."
When he brought up what her life was like, Solaine's demeanor visibly soured, as she sunk back in her chair and gripped the armrest tightly. She seemed almost bitter to talk about it, since it was a truth that she was troubled by. She couldn't say to Joe that in her free time she watched people rip one another apart, that was her job and he may have known it. No, what she did in her free time, she didn't want to say because she didn't want Joe to hate her. Hate her like enough others did.
The hard truth was, this was the first time in a long time, that she had traveled somewhere she didn't have to. She had only done so, because Joe was with her.
"What about you, you seem to like all this? You don't have to just stay in the restaurant and wait tables for the rest of your life. You've got to be the most interesting person I've ever met, and I've seen what you can do, it's amazing. You could go anywhere, live wherever you want to live, be whatever you want to be..."
It wasn't that she was trying to put ideas into his head, she was just honestly curious. She didn't fully understand the relationship he had with his brother or the Andersons, so she had no reason to assume that he couldn't just up and leave to go wherever he pleased. She found herself envious of that freedom she believed he had.
"...you don't have anyone you're tied to, it's not like Nathan or Beth are up there pulling the strings to make you dance. There are things I can and can't, but you can do whatever you want."
---
It was fast approaching the time for the conference. Or rather, the gathering of important persons that Roderick was supposed to address. From up high he looked down at the meeting hall, taking a cue from Slythe Arkady himself. Not unlike a ballroom, which aesthetically-speaking he more or less direct copied from the old castle of Myrysaea, only now it was filled with more tables. Long tables that stretched nearly the length of the room. There was food present on them, though this was not intended to be a dinner, and merely something to occupy the guests with, any whom arrived early. Appetizers and light foods, mostly.
"This is a day of destiny, cat. I hope your being a warlord and all won't get in the way of things? Certainly, it can't be why you're here..."
Having this particular guest present was problematic, for more reasons than one. Certainly, Roderick wasn't about to throw him in with the others down below, but he would rather the warlord was not here. On multiple levels, his ongoing presence was a threat to everything Roderick had done and everything he was going to do. Ironic in a way, that like the Princess, he was more a threat to the man in irons than the mightiest of armies was. Slythe Arkady for all his power did not scare Roderick, but this little individual did more to worry the representative of Vengeance, than all the tanks and planes and monstrosities of Arkady Industries.
Unfortunately he could not simply eject the warlord, and so he would have to deal with one problem at a time. The first and most presently imperative, being the conference below, soon to begin.
"...no, you're here about her, aren't you? That's what you wanted, back since that time. Tell me if you can then in what capacity you'd wish to know about her, and I'll see if I can't answer before I change the world..."
At this with a rattle of chains, he dropped down to a knee with about as straight a face as anyone could muster, to give the entirety of his focus to the warlord. He had history to make, but he could spare time enough for a concerned friend. He knew just as he ever had, that everyone from the highest king to the lowest peasant had a voice and deserved to speak and be heard. The warlord was neither a king nor a peasant, and he didn't even have a voice, but he could speak just as well as Roderick could.
"...just like she did."
---
By the time the conference neared, Solaine made for the great hall, Joe in tow. After clearing the guards at the front door with her invitations, she found his and her place, near one of the ends of the long tables. Not the best seat in the house, it seemed the name of Winterfield didn't carry as much weight here as it did elsewhere. Though, she couldn't deny that she obviously was not the most important person there. She recognized a fair number of the people there, particularly those closest whom she managed to get a good look at. Aside of that though, it was impossible to miss the collection of Celestial Dragons closer to the vast staircase leading up to the podium. For all the celebrations Vengeance gave towards the equality of all men, even here they couldn't simply throw world nobles amongst the rest of the other guests. As important as everyone there might be, they were not all world nobles.
"Can you believe it? How did they manage to get this many high profile people? I'd bet you'd rival Mariejoa right now, in terms of people who pull the strings, gathered in one room."
Almost like a kid in a candy shop, Solaine couldn't help but try and steal glances about the room at all the high profiles. While she had been separated from the Winterfield name in practice for some time now, she still recognized various important people in the world, if only from having read about them in newspapers and books and the like. While she tried to remain as low key as possible, it was rather hard for her not to gawk at some people. At this point, she was more talking to herself aloud rather than to Joe specifically, though she noticed this eventually and tried to correct it by shifting her focus to him with a grin.
"But hey, here we are, amongst them! I'd say though, we're dressed better than any of them. What do you say, Joe?"
Overall the general bustle of the room before the ceremony began, made it loud enough that Solaine could proclaim loudly about such things without worry.
|
|
|
Post by CJ on Jan 31, 2014 19:07:18 GMT -5
Joe had to tell Solaine the truth.
She was wrong. He couldn't be whatever he wanted to be. Nathan was kind enough to give him a life of his own, but it was his choice. Theoretically, he could erase everything that Joe was right then adn there, leaving him a hollow shell, a power to be used only for Nathan's purposes. Even now, Joe was barely surviving on his own. He would never be able to live without his "brother." In a way, he was a puppet, even if his master was kind.
Sitting down on the bed, he clenched his fists and breathed in.
"You're right," Joe said with a smile. "Thanks for the encouragement, Solaine. It means a lot."
He lied again, but he truly wanted her to see him the way she did, as a normal person who had his own life ahead of him. If she admired him, even for something he wasn't, he was happy for it.
---
"Even Celestial Dragons... whoah. This is serious."
Joe clutched tightly at his tie, feeling extremely overwhelmed. He stayed close to Solaine, scared of embarrassing her with inadequate social skills.
Heading toward their place at one of the tables, he pulled Solaine's chair out, trying to imitate gentlemen he read about in drama and mystery novels. He sat down and looked at the couple sitting across from them. They were older than him, even Solaine, and dressed in insanely rich clothing, much like the majority of the people gathered.
"Better dressed? Well, I'm not sure if that's the case with me..."
Joe lost his voice, seeing a sparkling, diamond ring on his left hand. Its cut was absolutely stunning, reflecting the light of the hall in glorious shimmering color. He lifted his hand to get a closer look at it when he realized he was wearing a matching bracelet and necklace. The suit was gone, replaced with a soft pink dress, embedded with more jewels than he had ever seen in his life. His skin was pale and he somehow saw himself as a woman, though he didn't understand why it didn't feel strange to him.
He looked up and saw the man again, somewhat younger. His mustache was gone and his heavy set eyes were full of life.
"William," Joe said with strange clarity. He shook his head, trying to make sense of what he was seeing.
"Excuse me?" he asked.
The vision shattered and Joe realized where he was again. He glanced at Solaine, trying to get his bearings straight.
"Dr. William Drake," he corrected himself. "I've... seen your face in the papers. You discovered the cure to several diseases, most famously Panda Shark Fever."
"I found that cure six years ago," the doctor scoffed. "It's child's play compared to the solution I concocted to Gemini's Disease last year. How could you know who I am without knowing that?"
"I haven't read much news lately..."
"Who are you two?" the woman sitting next to him asked. To Joe's surprise, the ring in his vision was on her finger. His head started to hurt.
He paused, looking at Solaine to answer. He didn't want to embarrass her any further than he already had.
"I'm sorry," he said, though he wasn't sure who he meant to apologize to.
|
|
|
Post by Kyubey on Feb 9, 2014 17:14:07 GMT -5
It had been quite a while since Morrison last had the chance to talk to Roderick of Vengeance, time that the Warlord cat did not put to waste. He did a fair amount of research prior to his promised visit of the land, at least as much research as could reasonably be expected, considering how recent much of the developments were, and the whole blasted war making any sort of investigation of inter-nation relationships so blurry and difficult. But at last, he was finally there, ready to ask the questions that had been storming about in his mind ever since the first time Roderick encountered him. Constantly, Morrison was reminded of how fortunate he was, to not be cursed to always show emotions, like the humans were.
As Roderick spoke, Morrison was busy setting up his pen, paper, and ink, for there was much he wanted to write. So many things that could be touched upon. It could be said that, in his most current quest, Roderick was the only man who could give any form of assistance, so what the cat would write at this meeting would be of vital importance.
Do not concern yourself, for I am not here today as one of the Seven Warlords of the Sea. Consider this a personal visit. he wrote on the first paper he presented to Roderick. He pushed it forward long enough for the man to read, retracted it, and continued writing on the empty space. Roderick's comment of "change the world just as she did" comment was not lost on the Warlord, but nevertheless, it was not the most pressing thing to Morrison's objectives.
To begin with, I would simply like to know about what your relationship with Sam was. How you met, what your relationship was, etc. What, exactly was she like, at the point of time in which you knew her? In reading this note, Roderick may have noticed a small ink blot at the bottom of that last question mark, as if the pen had lingered on the page while the writer was pondering what to put down next. Indeed, the next sentence seemed far different than the others, written out in a hasty scrawl. Was she happy?
Roderick was still, at most, a mystery to the cat, and at the time, Morrison was still far from considering the human to be a friend. That was all for the better anyways, as, in Morrison's mind, all those unlucky enough to find a true sense of friendship with him were fated to either die or turn traitorous.
|
|
|
Post by Shark a' Pult on Feb 14, 2014 0:29:37 GMT -5
"Who are you two?"
"Solaine... Winterfield. If you don't recognize my surname, you probably wouldn't know me."
She answered out of obligation, seeing as this was the place for it, but it was a point of contention for her that she could only be known by her family name. Whether her accomplishments were of note didn't matter, because they were not made to be known to the public, so generally all she had to go on was the Winterfield name. She was always a bit bitter about this, since she had more or less been rejected by her family, and if her father had his way she would still be in Galthia chained up in that pit.
She was able to set any personal issues aside for the time being though, since this wasn't about her.
"And of course, this is..."
She paused for a moment as she tried to think of a way to make Joe sound like the greatest person in the world.
---
With the patience of a saint, Roderick waited in complete seriousness for the cat to finish writing. Morrison was an acquaintance at best, but he knew the cat sometimes had trouble with people either acting or interrupting before he was completely finished with this process.
"Those are some difficult things to answer, for sure. To tell you what you wish to know, would require answering as two different people. So, I will respond as Roderick Liberccio, for he is the one that is going to die."
Taking a deep breath, Roderick actually moved to sit down on the floor next to the cat, leaning against the wall, the window to the great hall below next to him and playing a soft light on him and the cat. With a knee raised and an arm resting against it, he closed his eyes for a bit as he tried to come up with the proper response Morrison was looking for.
"To me... to us, Sam was a hero, our savior. She freed us from imprisonment and led us, onward, to the light. Me and my comrades, she took what us few struggled for, and turned it into something every man, woman and child could follow. And so we, this whole country, followed her to freedom. There is not a person more important to the destiny of this land and its people than her; don't just take it from me, walk into every house in Vengeance and you will hear the same from every citizen."
Of course, Roderick was tying his best to tell Morrison what he wanted to hear, but it was largely the truth. He conveniently left out the fact however, that with every passing day, the memory of Sam was fading. Vengeance was not known for having laws, but there were at least a few that were sure to be known, that any mention of Sam Faro was to be avoided. There were no punishments or trials, no imprisonments or executions, simply that people who spoke of her ended missing. Vanishing in the night, with no answers left and none to mourn them, for fear of a similar fate. If there was one thing that could be said of it all, it was that Roderick and his lot, were doing a good job of erasing Sam's memory from existence.
Of course, for a hero of the people, it was a difficult task. That said, all this talk about the past times of the revolution, and Roderick started to feel wistful. His gaze strayed away from the cat to nowhere in particular as he laughed to himself a little.
"Altogether I didn't know her for that long, at least not as long as you must have. If you want to know more, you might do well to speak to her enemies, there are a few still left in this land... a princess, and an air marshal, among others."
After awhile of nostalgia though his expression slowly worsened as he recalled Morrison's lingering question, and he felt as though he might have wasted the cats time up till this point, though it was never his intention.
"I do not think she was happy. As strange as it may seem, for an endeavor as great as a revolution, her mind was always on something else; that pirate crew. The Phantom Hawks, you know them. I am not sure what they were to her, but it seemed her biggest concern was always the crew, and trying to reform it. So much so, that she gave her life in the War of the Best so that they might remember her, but you already know this. Many of us tried to make her happy, myself included, but without the Phantom Hawks... she was broken."
Slowly he moved to his feet, turning to look through the window to the great hall below, before he left for it.
"I hope you learned what you were after, as this is the last time you'll see Roderick Liberccio. If not, then maybe Jack Merrick can provide the answers you seek."
---
"...and he makes the kind of inventions you'd never find anywhere else, simply the best in the world!"
Solaine had been billing Joe up quite a bit, enough that some of the people seated near them seemed quite impressed with the young man. Indeed, nearly as impressed as Solaine was, by just knowing him, regardless of the truth. It seemed though before she could get onto the topic of how he invented the secret art of ultimate table waiting, the murmurs about the hall started to die down as some man reached the podium at the end of the hall up the great stairs.
As far away as he was, surprisingly he was quite easily heard, beginning with an introductory opening statement.
"Ladies and Gentlemen, your attention please. On behalf of the city of Myrysaea, and the nation of Vengeance-"
It seemed like a pretty straightforward speech, nothing this sort of audience hadn't heard before. Just the basics of introduction and welcoming to this land during its time of celebration. It was said simply because it had to be said, a formality through and through, and the audience more or less paid attention simply because it was polite.
Solaine meanwhile was on a completely different level than anyone else there, as she wasn't paying attention to the speech at all, instead fixated on the man himself. If Joe cared to look, he would notice an expression he had never before seen for her; fear. In a panic she had locked up, gripping the table as cracks started to sound, and she appeared genuinely afraid.
"Joe... it's him."
Although she spoke to him, she was unable to take her eyes from the speech giver, and was actually shaking. She did her best to keep her voice low so as not to attract attention, but she couldn't hide the tremble in her voice.
"Please... we n-need to get out of h-here... now."
|
|
|
Post by CJ on Feb 17, 2014 16:00:03 GMT -5
Joe blushed as Solaine praised him for his accomplishments. He was much more embarrassed now, though in a good way. He liked being well thought of, especially by Solaine. It made him feel at ease. The more he was recognized as Joe, Nathan Smith's brother, the less he felt like he was going to fall apart.
The couple only briefly acknowledged her remarks before being distracted by the man at the podium. Joe went to listen as well, by was much to distracted by Solaine nearly breaking the table they sat at.
There was only one time Joe ever knew Solaine to be afraid: that night, when she was riddled and stabbed with player cards by some unknown man.
But there was no way he was here, not in a wonderful place like this. These people weren't criminals or scum, like the kind his brother Nathan knew years ago on the streets of Gomorrah. He prayed that Solaine was only mistaking someone for the attacker or was only socially distressed about someone sitting among them he didn't know.
All he knew now was the right thing to do was to get Solaine out of there. Gone was his excitement for the festivities. He only thought of her safety.
"Take my hand. If anyone asks why we're leaving, we'll just say you're feeling faint. Don't worry."
Standing up at the table, he began to feel scared, terrified that their antagonist wasn't just Solaine's nerves.
"Please, don't worry."
|
|
|
Post by Kyubey on Mar 6, 2014 2:29:03 GMT -5
Morrison listened closely to Roderick's every word, not so much as blinking during the entire story. He was careful to examine everything as well, from Roderick's exact wording, to his body language, to his slight tones of voice as he spoke. It was not so much that the cat distrusted the man, it was more the profound meaning the subject held over Morrison. What Roderick was saying were some of the most important things he would hear for a long, long time, and, one way or another, would be the catalyst for a great many things in the future. Therefore, he burned absolutely all of it to his memory, to be cherished forever, like he never could have cherished the time he had actually spent with Sam. The one disruption that crossed his mind was the troubling word choice Roderick used, when he spoke of answering as two different people. Surely, that meant a great deal, but the literal-minded Morrison wished that humans would stop talking about such matters in such a vague sort of way, for it never did any good.
As Roderick told of how Sam fought for the country of Vengeance, Morrison looked around, as though he could gaze out upon the land itself. So, as it seemed, the country was the last thing Sam left to the world, the one part of her legacy that could be kept forever. To him, the nation may as well have been sacred. Just as she struggled to create it, he too would defend it, should it come under attack again.
And finally, as Roderick replied to the last, and most vital of questions, Morrison's eyes cast downwards, and he emitted a low mew. It did not matter much, in the end, how she died, for the outcome would always be the same regardless and nothing could change the fact that she was gone. He knew who was responsible, who must pay for her loss, and that was sufficient. But still, he wanted to think his friend was happy in her final moments, or, if that was impossible, that she was hopeful. Not broken. Not unhappy. Emotions rushed to his feline heart, not dissimilar to when Roderick had first inadvertently informed the cat of Sam's death to begin with. If cat tongues were able to sufficiently express the human concept of what sadness sounded like, his reaction may have been heartbreaking, rather than the shrill mewling that came out. Following that, he made another, quieter sound, as a picture flashed across his mind. For a brief second, he swore he could have seen, quite clearly, the person who had robbed Sam of the happiness she so greatly deserved. The one Phantom Hawk who, no matter what, should not have abandoned her. Did Kusu even know the consequence of her leaving Sam behind? If she did know, would she have cared? None of that mattered. She took too much, to suffer no retribution in kind. That was the only relevant thing. Not just for indirectly causing Sam's death, but for taking her happiness away as well. That was the worst crime. And it was not a crime she bore herself. No, it was not just Kusu that broke Sam, it was all of them. They would all pay, in equal measures.
Morrison walked away from Roderick, having gained all the information he knew he would be able to get. And what he had, was more than enough. Shortly, he would have to find the people that were explicitly mentioned, the princess and the air marshal, and question them as well, along with this Jack Merrick, in good time. But for now, there was nothing in that room that was worth listening to. In his absence, the cat left a single note behind, meant for Roderick.
Thank you, and goodbye.
Life, and happiness. Those were the two things that The Phantom Hawks had stolen from Sam, and they both needed to be avenged. For them to not pay for what they took seemed an impossibility, a notion that Morrison, in his obsession, never once considered, or even recognized as an option. And there was not a single one of them that would be exempt, he would make sure of that. Taking happiness as well as life would take longer, but that was no matter for Morrison. He had the entire rest of his life to devote to the task.
It was relieving to Morrison, in a cruel, ironic sort of way, that he had already paid half his share of the price.
|
|