-l Barton Town l-

[Vintrict]

Mademoiselle Alvinette

As she walked, Natalie would come upon a giant of a man sitting on a bench. He was about 6' 7" tall, but she wouldn't know that since he was currently sitting. He was a broad man, dashed in plated armor with a cape on his back. Little did she know he was the commander of the Barton defense force. And yet, here he was sitting here casually eating a sandwich. His mom had made him lunch, which was currently being eaten out of a lunch box with a green grunny on the front of it. A rather childish icon to have being displayed for a man of his status, but no one dared made fun of him for it. To his right rested a large sword, currently sheathed. It was a sword made for someone his size, looking to be a good four feet in length.

Seeing Natalie, he perked up, and rose a hand at the rather fair-looking lady.

"Afternoon, Ma'am." The deepness of his voice fit the image.

[Mademoiselle Alvinette]

If this were any other place but Barton Town, Natalie would swear that she'd just come upon somebody who was getting ready for a LARP meetup. But even though she usually walked Bogey closer to home rather than in town, she'd worked in Barton long enough to know a Regulator when she spotted one. And even though the guy was sitting down, she could tell that he was huge, probably at least a foot taller than she was. Not as big as her nighttime bodyguard, Jules, who was a half-giant, but still...the sword alone had to be four feet tall.

And he was eating a sandwich out of a grunny lunchbox, a juxtaposition that made Natalie smile. The man waved and wished her good afternoon. "Hiya!" Natalie replied, returning the wave. Meanwhile, little Bogey saw and smelled FOOD and immediately started sniffing at the man, as if to beg.

"Bogey, don't beg," she chided gently. "That's his lunch. He needs his food just like you need yours!" She pulled a little homemade dog cookie out of her coat pocket and offered it to the puppy, who gobbled it up.

Vintrict

[Vintrict]

Mademoiselle Alvinette

"That's a fine little dog you got there."

He looked down at the little puppy, finding it adorable. But he was a man of professionalism, and thus could not lose his cool over a little pet. He threw the rest of the sandwich into his mouth, finally done with it. Then picked up a canteen to the side to drink from.

"Have a bigger one at home. If you would call a bear a dog." He gave a hearty laugh.

[Mademoiselle Alvinette]

"Thanks!" Natalie replied, beaming. "His name's Bogey, short for Bogart. He's a Boston Terrier, or at least part Boston Terrier...I adopted him a few months ago." She knelt down and scratched the puppy's chin. "And you're just growin' up so fast!"

Then the man revealed that he had a bigger one at home...but he called it a bear. Natalie laughed. "Wait, a dog that's as big as a bear, or an actual bear? You've got me so curious now!"

Vintrict

[Vintrict]

Mademoiselle Alvinette

"Thanks!" Natalie replied, beaming. "His name's Bogey, short for Bogart. He's a Boston Terrier, or at least part Boston Terrier...I adopted him a few months ago." She knelt down and scratched the puppy's chin. "And you're just growin' up so fast!"

Then the man revealed that he had a bigger one at home...but he called it a bear. Natalie laughed. "Wait, a dog that's as big as a bear, or an actual bear? You've got me so curious now!"

Vintrict

"It's a full grown bear. Had him since I was a wee kid. We grew up together. Wrestled together. I love my Bugbear."

He took up his sheathed sword, placing it onto his back. Then he stood up, his full height finally revealed. Picking up the lunchbox into his left hand, he looked down at the woman.

"Let me introduce myself. My name is Leon. I am the commander of the Barton Regulars. Please to meet you."

[Mademoiselle Alvinette]

Natalie's eyes widened. "Oh my gosh, that is so sweet!" she exclaimed. "I imagine that not very many people can have a bear as a roommate...but if you grew up together, then you probably are the best of friends!" She smiled. "I've only had Bogey since September, but I just looked into those little eyes and fell in love." Natalie wasn't going to allow herself to have children, since she attracted danger the way she did, so the closest thing she had to a child was Bogey, and she treasured her sweet little puppy.

Leon introduced himself as he put his sword on his back and rose from his seat. "Pleased to meet ya, Leon!" Natalie replied. "I'm Natalie. I work at Barton News Service."

Vintrict

[Vintrict]

Mademoiselle Alvinette

"Barton News, huh? Then you guys probably have got your hands full with the recent rise in crime around this city. Robberies, werewolf sightings outside of town attacking on merchants. It has been one busy month for us Regulars."

He began walking, hoping Natalie would follow.

[Mademoiselle Alvinette]

Natalie nodded, giving a low whistle. "You got that right!" she replied. "I got called into the office early this morning because of some incidents that happened in the middle of the night last night. Reporters were sendin' in bulletins nonstop until about an hour ago! I had to work like crazy to organize all those stories so the local newspapers and TV stations who use our service could have access to the latest news bulletins." She and Bogey started walking, keeping pace with Leon as they made their way through the park.

((Kind of like a fictional Associated Press is what I'm imagining, but altered to fit the needs of my spy's agency. lol))

Vintrict

[Vintrict]

Mademoiselle Alvinette

Natalie nodded, giving a low whistle. "You got that right!" she replied. "I got called into the office early this morning because of some incidents that happened in the middle of the night last night. Reporters were sendin' in bulletins nonstop until about an hour ago! I had to work like crazy to organize all those stories so the local newspapers and TV stations who use our service could have access to the latest news bulletins." She and Bogey started walking, keeping pace with Leon as they made their way through the park.

((Kind of like a fictional Associated Press is what I'm imagining, but altered to fit the needs of my spy's agency. lol))

Vintrict

"Because of that, our forces are stretching thin. The police are helping us, too, but they can only do so much. We really need to get some new recruits in. There's a lot of spunky and spirited kids these days. Some with unique powers. Problem is getting them motivated to do some community service, ya know? They can't be helped to help out other than for themselves."

The commander's face grimaced as he spoke such a thing.

[Mademoiselle Alvinette]

Natalie nodded. "That is one trend I've noticed, lookin' at all these news stories as they pass my desk," she agreed. "And the thing is, with all these people out there who are so rarin' for adventure and so ready to start a fight everywhere they go...I mean, can you imagine what would happen if they decided to channel all that energy into somethin' more positive? Like if they went through the police academy and started usin' their street smarts to serve and protect instead of just, I dunno, sellin' drugs or extorting money from people. And then there's the ones who do the white-collar crimes and spend all their time and energy and intelligence figurin' out ways to beat the system...can you imagine the good they could do if the cops recruited them? They could be puttin' away criminals, and earn a pretty good salary doin' it."

The superpowers thing...well, she had her own powers, and a lot of people, friend and foe, who had their own ideas about how she should use them. She wanted to use her powers for the greater good, but there were plenty of would-be "helpers" that she just plain did not trust, and probably never would. Like that creepy stalker who wants to use me as bait while he murders my friends...

Vintrict

[Vintrict]

Mademoiselle Alvinette

Funny that she thought about her stalker, considering one of the crimes going around was in his expertise.

But anywho, Leon groaned a little.

"I think about that everyday. We're grateful to get the young ones who do come in and join. We don't want to force people into the role as a Regular. It is an honorable service where those who willingly join will have the most impact on the success of our unit."

They eventually reached the end of the trail through the park, returning to the busy area of Barton where people of many types walked and cars zoomed through the street. He looked upon the pedestrians, eyes staring as they were lost in thought.

"These good people deserve to live a peaceful life. When I think of them, I think of my mother walking among them. I think what kind of environment I would want her to live in. And that's what drives me to do the job I do everyday."

He looked down to the woman again.

"Well, Natalie, I must get back to my post and see what papers they've thrown at me this time. You're not the only ones who have to deal with signing and reading things."

[Mademoiselle Alvinette]

Natalie nodded thoughtfully. "I think that's part of why I'm in the news biz," she replied softly. "I mean, I know I'm not cop material and I think I would be absolutely awful in the Regulators, but even just helpin' keep a news service going so the public stays informed...I feel like I'm doin' my small part to help make the world a better place. I've got a lot of friends and loved ones around here, from all walks of life, and I wouldn't want to see any of them hurt."

Leon told Natalie that he had to get back to his post, and Natalie chuckled. "Ah, paperwork...the bane of employees everywhere, no matter where you work!" she replied. "But it was nice talkin' to ya!"

Vintrict

[Vintrict]

Mademoiselle Alvinette

Natalie nodded thoughtfully. "I think that's part of why I'm in the news biz," she replied softly. "I mean, I know I'm not cop material and I think I would be absolutely awful in the Regulators, but even just helpin' keep a news service going so the public stays informed...I feel like I'm doin' my small part to help make the world a better place. I've got a lot of friends and loved ones around here, from all walks of life, and I wouldn't want to see any of them hurt."

Leon told Natalie that he had to get back to his post, and Natalie chuckled. "Ah, paperwork...the bane of employees everywhere, no matter where you work!" she replied. "But it was nice talkin' to ya!"

Vintrict

He nodded and gave her a smile. She was a good woman. Had a good head on her shoulders, he thought. But inside, she was put into the file of people that needed protection. Not necessarily calling her weak, but he wasn't naive about it, either. He then turned and walked off, his cape billowing behind him all heroically. A man worthy of the cloth draped down his shoulders.

[Mademoiselle Alvinette]

Natalie smiled as she and Bogey turned back into the park. The little puppy had gotten really good at obeying voice commands in all kinds of situations, so they could probably play fetch for a little while. They reached an open grassy space, and Natalie let Bogey off his leash, pulling a little red ball out of her coat pocket. "Go get it!" she cried out cheerfully, throwing the ball for the little pup to fetch.

Vintrict

[Mademoiselle Alvinette]

((Dunno if I should keep the scene like this or start a new day and go do something random. lol

I probably sound whiny, but I'm bored this evening. XD))