GT mt

[- - caffe espresso]

PRALINE FORMAT REMOVED
　　　　　　　　Praline　　|　　Priest of Dead　　|　　Random NPCs　　|　　Rhys　　

　　WITH GENEVIEVE MAYBE　　　　　　AT SWEET YUMS　　　　　　MENTIONS NO ONE　　


• “Ahhhhh!” a young female screamed as she fell from a tower, her arms out stretched in front of her swaying in the air hoping to grab onto anything to stop her from falling. A female figure, one she had known as her mother, Dame Gothel stood at the window with a scowl on her face. That scowl was all she could see as she fell onto the hard ground below. Her vision blurred as she cried from the pain and soon that scowl was gone and only darkness was exposed. The female's body laid mangled on the floor, a broken leg, a cracked skull and even inside her ribs were broken. Dame Gothel felt no remorse for the child she had raised, for the child who always looked at her with nothing but love. Rapunzel was betrayed by the one person she thought she could always trust.
  
  Within the Cathedral a body formed on the cold stone slab, the mangled form slowly began to repair itself – broken bone sticking out popped back in, the skin healing over it, the cracked skull was soon mended as well. Life or what they consider life was soon taken back into the body as she drew her first breath again. As she kept on breathing her body continued to repair itself under the watchful eye of a Priest of the Dead. Normally they would take their time but this one was going to be a hard case and he was aware of it.
  
  Soft blue eyes began to flutter and finally opened up to see the ceiling above. It reached high into the air and the chandeliers that hung were dropped so low as to make it seem smaller than it really was. “Welcome,” the male voice startled Rapunzel as she quickly turned to look at him but no face could really be seen beneath the hood. Fear struck her and she tried to scoot off the slab but the pain in her chest made her gasp for air as she felt that stinging horrible pain she felt just moments befoure her death. “Careful. It'll be painful for a bit so you must move slowly.” Gently he took hold of her and helped her sit up, once again she winced and gasped for air. As the pain slowly subsided she dropped her hand from her chest and onto her lap... there should be something else there, a large baby bump but instead she had her slim tummy again. Her hands quickly began touching her tummy as if she could find them that way. “I am sorry,” he began, “but they have reentered the life stream.” Rapunzel looked at the man in horror and shook her head.
  
  “No, no. Where are my babies? You have them don't you? Where are they? Give them back!” The Priest of the Dead ended up taking her to the room and displaying her life but still she wouldn't believe it. “No this is a trick. Dame Gothel did this didn't she? This is a trick.” She refused for a good hour and he gave up and instead took her out of the Cathedral where she stood amazed at all the people. Never had Rapunzel seen so many people befoure. “W – where am I?” she finally asked. “Melthazius the City of the Dead.” The Priest took hold of her hand, she could feel the icy bone like structure as if it was lacking any skin or muscle beneath. Her heart was racing with fear but still she let him guide her to the DotD. “Ah it's such a nice winter day isn't it?” a female voice caught her attention and she turned to look at them. “Yes, it's quite charming,” another replied. Rapunzel looked everywhere as she walked on, fear filling her up the closer she got to the doors. “Mmm this Praline Latte is ******** delicious,” some guy mentioned as he finished taking a sip of his cup. “No way man that's not even the best one. You've gotta try the gingerbread one!” a female mentioned excitedly.
  
  “We're here,” the priest said causing Rapunzel to return her gaze to the... well she thought he was man for how deep the voice sounded. They walked through the doors together and the place was busy with all sorts of people lined up waiting to get handled. Those who were more calm about the whole aspect were asked to wait a bit so they could handle the harder ones. It wasn't often a priest actually delivered the person directly to an agent so of course Rhys approached the being. “Greetings,” the figure began, “this one does not believe she is dead at all. She will be most difficult.” Rapunzel furrowed her brows at that comment. “I leave her in your care now Rhys.” The pink haired man nodded and turned his attention to the female. “Hey there. Please follow me.” Rhys led her into his office and took a seat across from her. “Alright. Now to start with. What's your name?”
  
  “M … my name?” She didn't feel comfortable saying it. Rhys nodded though. What should I do? If I tell him she'll find me. With all these people there's no way she'll find me but if my name is out there she will. She will finish the job, I know she will! The male sat back in his chair and waited for her to finally speak. “Um...P... Praline!” Rhys' face twitched as he wanted to laugh but instead he just nodded.
  
  “And your last name?”
  
  Again she shifted uncomfortably in her chair and looked around the room. “Uh... um... W... winter charm....” Rhys covered his mouth as he heard her speak. Behind his hand was a giant smile and it took every ounce of restrain to not laugh.
  
  “H – how do you spell that?” His mouth kept going from a smile to a straight line.
  
  Praline seemed surprised at this question. “What do you mean?”
  
  “Uh..” Rhys shook his head, he knew it was a fake name as he had been in this business long enough to know it wasn't true. “I'm guessing it's w y n t e r c h a r m e ?” He wanted to make it spelled just as ridiculous as it ******** sounded.
  
  Praline nodded at him thinking that sounded right. “Have you seen my babies?” she finally asked.
  
  “What?” Rhys looked up from writing.
  
  “My babies. They're gone. Someone stole them. They were right here.” She placed a hand on her belly, her face saddened by feeling no bump. Rhys slowly opened his mouth and then closed it, frowning at the comment.
  
  “No, I have not. They must have gone back to the life stream.” This comment upset Praline and she stood up and fled his office. Rhys chased after her. “H – hey we're not done!”
  
  “No go away! You're lying to me! They're here I know it!” Rhys had charged after her and ended up grabbing her arm to get her to stop but nope, she wasn't going to have that. Instead she kicked his shin causing him to let go and she ran out the door. However once outside she had no idea where to even begin looking and the moment delay allowed Rhys to literally pick her up and toss her over his shoulder. “AH! Put me down! No!! I have to find my babies!”
  
  It took from six in the morning till ten to get her to finish the paperwork for she kept trying to leave time and time again. Tying her down was an option Rhys thought of many times but he didn't want to scare her anymore than she already was. “Come on. I'll show you how to get to your home now.” Praline just looked at him with sad eyes and followed like a lost puppy. She clung to his side as they went out on the streets, the cars scared her, the train scared her, the ******** blowing of wind scared her. But the moment her eyes landed on a child she ran up over to them.
  
  “Have you seen my babies?” she asked desperately. Rhys just face palmed and waved to the kid signaling him to leave. Praline kept running off, here and there, nope left turn – no I'm going right! All the while she was asking random strangers and children if they have seen her babies. It was one hell of a day but eventually Rhys got her to her home to which she stood inside the large furnished place and turned to him. “What is this?” she asked pointing to a tv. “And this!” the side table next to a couch which she also didn't know what it was. “What about this?” Praline peered into what was pot. “Do I pee in this?” The question had Rhys coughing for air.
  
  “No! Absolutely not. You use the bathroom.”
  
  “What's that?”
  
  Kill me now.... again... ugh... damn it! Rhys could only think as he sighed and showed her the bathroom.
  
  “What's this?” She lifted up the toilet seat. “Do I drink from here?” Rhys gagged at that comment.
  
  “No. You pee in there!”
  
  Yep and that went on for a good hour or two befoure he finally explained everything she saw. Finally he dragged her out of the house and back onto the streets where she continued asking about things. Rhys sounded defeated as he answered her questions. Eventually he was at Sweet Yums. Rhys walked into the store and stood there looking like all life from him had left. “What's that?” The mere question made him twitch.
  
  “I need the best cup of coffee you'll ever make. Right now. Right his very second. I beg you!” Rhys was desperate, if he didn't get a good cup of joe he might snap. Praline stood there and just watched as the person made the coffee. “Don't... say another word,” he ordered to Praline who pressed her lips shut tightly. Upon receiving the cup he took a long sip and then let out “ahhhh. Yeah, that's great. Thanks. Oh and uh... she's yours to deal with now. She'll be your new barista.” Rhys patted Praline on the head and left the place. “Good luck!” he hollered as he exited the door.
  
  Praline watched as he left and then turned back to the female befoure her. “Um... hello. I'm Praline Wyntercharme,” she paused briefly, “have you seen my babies?” Gold star introduction! Making everyone feel awkward one person at a time!
  
  

[- - caffe espresso]

RHYS FORMAT REMOVED
　　　　　　WITH TSUBASA　　　　　　ON WAY TO WATERWAY MARKET　　　　　　MENTIONS PRALINE


• “Good luck!” Rhys said cheerfully as he exited Sweet Yums. It was a bit of a taunting tone for now they were stuck with her and he… he was free. He was finally, ******** free! For now at least, he’d have to deal with her later again of course. Did he at least remember to tell her she had a roommate? Ah whatever, she’d find out later – he was way too tired to deal with anymore of Praline Wyntercharme today. Being around her was suffocating with her questions, her running off, and her awkward interactions with random strangers. Seriously who goes and asks that? he thought as he hurried on away from the café. No he didn’t want to be called back with a please take her away – ugh no he couldn’t stand one more second around that girl. Rhys had to stop in his step, people kept on passing right by him on either side as he just breathed, it’s what he needed right now. Filling his lungs with the crisp cold air he could even feel his head get clearer, calmer and sane once again. She had ruined his entire first part of the day but he could only hope it could get better. The only way to do that though was to see a certain somebody – Tsubasa, the love of his soul. One would normally say life but… he was dead, they all were. Even if he wasn’t he knew Tsubasa was more than that to him. Their souls were intertwined and he could feel it whenever he held her close to him.
  
  The head agent quickly began flowing with the crowd again he was going to make it there to her for he knew this entire day could be salvaged if he at least saw her face. While they did live together he couldn’t wait until she got off work, no, he needed to see her and soon. Rhys picked up his pace, his shoes crunching in the snow that had managed to blow in along the side. The water that normally spouted off the upper level was currently dry otherwise they’d just have a long icicle that once represented a little waterfall. Rhys pulled the scarf he was wearing further up on his face, covering his mouth and nose. The wintery air, while nice, was making the inside of his nose so cold. It was a good thing he had polished off his drink, no longer would he need to keep his scarf down to enjoy the hot liquid; sadly it didn’t do much to keep him actually warm inside.
  
  There was something nice about the busy streets of Melthazius especially during the winter times. The city had decorations for the winter holidays to come and right now little hearts were hung beneath strings of weaved leaves. I’ll need to pick up some ingredients befoure we get home, he made a mental note as he remembered they were out of eggs. However could he bake her the little delicious cakes without it? He didn’t forget to the last few years he had known her, he wasn’t going to start this year either. Just the thought of how happy they made her brought a smile upon his face. I can’t wait to see her, he thought as he maneuvered through the crowd, a smile hidden behind the scarf.
  
  Rounding the corner he finally came upon the door to Nest Clothiers where Tsubasa was the seamstress. Not only did she make clothing for females she did dabble a bit in males as well, the scarf he currently was wearing was one of the many she made for him. The door chimed as he stepped inside the quaint shop but it fell on deaf ears as there were quite a few people there. It seemed busy today which was no surprise with how cold it had gotten lately. Rhys was a tall man so the people didn’t stop him from spotting Tsubasa folding clothes off on the other side of the shop. He pulled down the scarf from his face letting it continue to stay wrapped around his neck as he began his way towards his girlfriend. “Tsubasa,” he said in a quiet voice not wanting to disrupt the other people here. As she turned to look at him he smiled at her and quickly pulled her into a tight embrace. “Today was such s**t,” he whispered as he kept her close. She was the breath of fresh air that he desperately longed for, her scent of cherry blossoms filled his nostrils as he clung to her not ready to let go. “I’m so happy to see you.” Rhys buried his face into the nape of her neck as he held her, his hands gripping her tightly. It was a long while befoure he finally pulled himself away, his hands moving from her back to gently cupping her face. A thumb brushed against her cheeks as he stared longingly at her then he pressed his lips strongly against her own for a good few seconds befoure parting. His face remained near hers however and he whispered, “I missed you.” Finally he let her go completely and stood back enough to allow some respectable room between them. “Any chance you can leave yet?” While he did put work above many things, spending time with Tsubasa was not one of them. He hoped she felt the same. All he wanted to do was curl up together on the couch reading their latest book choice or walking around town hand in hand or even just sitting down on a bench watching everyone else with no words exchanged between them. He didn’t care so long as he had Tsubasa with him.
  
  With her agreeing to leave he waited by the door as she collected her things. He felt her gentle touch on his arm as he was looking at a pair of gloves on display. “These are nice,” he mentioned as he placed them back down and turned to her. “Where would you like to go?” he asked softly as he gently brushed away a strand of her hair off her cheek. With the destination being that of the waterway market he took her hand and led her out of the shop; his fingers were soon interlocking with hers as the embarked on their adventure.

[Hitokiri Hitaru]

✦location: Nest Clothiersxxxxxx ✦Company: Cecile[NPC], Rhysxxxxxx ✦Mentions: N/A xxxxxx ✦Wearing: stunning kimono #1




• Coming from a far more hostile environment, the winters in Melthazius City always felt far more temperate and merciful than what she was used to. A soft sigh escaped her lips at her little work station in the back of Nest Clothiers where she sat surrounded by her trusted sewing machine, yards upon yards of fabric, fasteners, an assortment of thread, and any other little trivialities that she could find herself needing on the job. At first the sheer decadence of resources that she found herself with brought her a feeling of total revulsion, but those feelings had all but melted away like snow on a warm spring day. It was certainly a frightening experience at first, to be thrust into a world with so much modern technology, but she had certainly adapted well enough. It was no doubt that man that had made the experience less abrasive, and for that she was grateful. Still though, it was on cold days like today that made her think back towards her past life. That was how it all started after all, on a cold winter's day she showed up in front of the two men who influenced her life and death so drastically.
  
  Shaking the thoughts out of her head, Yukimura Tsubasa lightly slapped her cheeks with her hands, hoping that would help rid her of her nostalgia. Looking down at the pattern on her work table, she lightly sucked on her bottom lip before she began pinning the two necessary pieces of fabric together. Though she was used to the cold weather, that didn't mean that others were as fortunate to have her tolerance towards it. The recollection of Rhys bundling himself up with his coat and scarf earlier that morning immediately brought a smile to her face and a soft giggle to escape her lips. While she would usually wear a few less layers otherwise, living with Rhys especially during the colder seasons made her more conscious about being properly bundled up. When she was alive, the cold never bothered her as a crane, yes as a human to an extent, but she wasn't exactly particularly wealthy then to afford the thicker layers of under kimono that kept her all nice and warm as she was at that moment. "....I hope he didn't get someone difficult today," Tsubasa mused aloud, only to hear a stifled laugh from one of her coworkers near by. The brunette immediately turned a light shade of pink before quickly scrambling to look busy.
  
  "Aren't you the one who said and I quote 'That man will never deal with a person as difficult as me'?" She asked slyly, causing Tsubasa to offer an embarrassed smile before she shift her gaze back towards her work.
  
  "W-w-what? That was when I despised his very existence-"
  
  "And now you adore that same existence~ Didn't I tell you to listen to me, Little Tsubasa~? I told you from the get go, love and hate are but two sides of the same coin, and now look at you! Did you think five years ago that you'd be worrying if Rhys got a difficult case or not?"
  
  "No...." Tsubasa replied shamefully, hanging her head slightly. A relationship with an infuriating man such as him was the last thing that would have crossed her mind back then, but now....the thought of not having Rhys at all was almost unthinkable. The feeling of his body pressed up against hers as they slept, laying together to read the same book, cooking breakfast for him, bringing him lunch at the department when he'd forget it...there was not a single moment that she was willing to give up if they included the head agent. The thought of lunch immediately caused Tsubasa to go red in the face and avoid eye-contact with the other woman, much to her amusement.
  
  "Ooooh....you thought up something good~ Come on, come on! You're like my adopted child now...let me live vicariously through you! Tell me of your romantic trysts with that devilishly handsome boyfriend of yours~" the older woman practically squealed, causing Tsubasa to slowly raise her head, her face quite the shade of cherry red from whatever thought had just crossed her mind.
  
  "You have an overly excitable imagination, Cecile" she began slowly, an impish smile slowly crossing her face. "Use it." That shut her up real good. Satisfied with her response, Tsubasa slowly rose from her seat and carefully brushed off the stray threads that had fallen from her workstation and onto her lap. Tucking back a strand of her dark hair behind her ear, she made her way out of the back room and into the shop's main floor. The activity made her question if any of their patrons had never experienced a winter or something. Seeing a shelf of sweaters in particular disarray, the seamstress slowly made her way over, pulling out the various articles of clothing so that she could begin the task of folding them neatly once more. The shop attendants were too busy trying to keep the peace between a group of women who were fighting over one of the scarves she had made late in autumn in preparation for winter. This was the very least she could do for them.
  
  Love and hate as two sides of the same coin...
  
  "Hm...." She suddenly didn't like how she felt, wondering if Rhys thought she hated him back then. She may have said a lot of ridiculous things in the beginning, but surely he didn't think back on those first few days as a judgement of what kind of a person she was, right? Then again, looking back, those days felt like they really were starting to look like a good judge of her character. Yes she made his life difficult, but she by no means made it miserable.
  
  "Please tell Rhys that his darling little wife is here with his lunch." Just thinking back on those very words made Tsubasa one again take on quite the reddish hue as she hurriedly folded another one of the sweaters in hopes of acting as some sort of distraction. How could she have said something so embarrassing even as a joke?! But that look on his face, he just seemed so happy that it made it feel as though she had a thousand butterflies fluttering in her stomach. Those soft smiles from him meant the world to her, so much so that she felt as if she would willingly act like a fool just to receive them. It was in the middle of folding another one of the sweaters that she paused as she heard her name being called. Looking up, her violet-colored eyes widened in surprise. Rhys was right there, incredibly early from her calculations.
  
  "Rhys? Is everything-" Today was just a day where she wouldn't get the opportunity to so easily finish her sentences. Tsubasa didn't mind being cut off as he smiled and put his arms around her, pulling her in tightly to his chest. She relaxed immediately at the sensation of practically being crushed to him, her arms soon wrapping themselves around him as well. "...okay?" she finished softly, finding it odd for him to leave the department as early as he did. "It was? I'm sorry..." she mumbled softly, gently running her hands down her back, her little way of trying to soothe whatever ill that was brought on to him. Tsubasa never once pulled away as he buried his face in her neck, her smile only soften as she continued to gently rub his back. "The feeling is mutual," she replied gently. Once he pulled back, she offered the man a tiny smile which only blossomed into a larger one as she felt the gentle touch of his hand on her cheek. Seeing the look on his face, she willingly leaned in closer to meet him in the kiss that inevitably came. "That bad?" Tsubasa asked curiously after he spoke. She couldn't help but wonder what piece of work could have done this to Rhys. Pulling her hands back, Tsubasa delicately reached up and gently poked her boyfriend's nose with a bandaged finger. "I'm the only one allowed to make your life difficult," she said sternly with a playful smile on her lips before she stood on the tips of her toes to lightly peck the tip of his nose. "Let me go get my things."
  
  Lingering there for a moment longer, Tsubasa soon turned and dismissed herself from Rhys as she wandered back to the backroom. Cecile was merely pouting at her as she went about gathering her things before wrapping herself in her red shall. A smile tugged at her lips as she grabbed her bag and proceeded to leave the room, only to pause for a brief moment.
  
  "I'm off to go on a tryst~"
  
  Without another word, Tsubasa hurriedly made her way back out into the store and out the door where she spotted Rhy's pink hair. He had been admiring a pair of gloves as she gently reached out to get his attention. Hearing his comment, she looked down at the pair and smiled once more. "I can make you a pair later, if you'd like," she offered quickly. If there was one thing she didn't mind, it was making clothing for Rhys. Tsubasa was almost to distracted by the touch of his hand yet again to even think about what was being asked. Anywhere was fine, really. "How about the water market?" she asked softly, his gloved hand soon entwining with hers. "Maybe I should get some gloves too..." she mused as she studied her ungloved ones. After a few minutes of walking, Tsubasa paused as she caught sight of something going along the waterway of the market.
  
  That could be a good distraction.
  
  "Rhys, want to go on a boat ride?"

[HalflingPuppeteer]

————❝ Aɢʟᴀᴇᴄᴀ Nɪᴄᴏʟᴀᴇ Cᴏᴊᴏᴄᴀʀᴜ ❞———————————————— ❝ ♛ ❞


It wasn’t much of a morning really aside from the lightly falling snow. The air was chilled as he opened his bedroom window to get a better view of his surrounds. With the sky gray and the ground covered with inches of snow from the days before and even now, it was the perfect scene of a winter day. While there was nothing much to be seen, it was nice to be reminded that in this land after death, there was still “life” for those that couldn’t leave just yet. It was a very mundane life to be honest, nothing like the supposed “eternal suffering” the male was to receive in life. Yet the devil died and ninety nine years ago he appeared here. He couldn’t simply let go like some number of patrons residing in the ground levels. Aglaeca had long become accustomed to this lifestyle and the only highlight that was found daily was the stream of limbo souls. Typically they varied but once you figure out their origins, it’s not much to bite at. ‘Oh well I suppose,’ the male sighed as he closed the bedroom window to seal his heated room. The outrageously tall person took long strides towards his bathroom where he committed to his daily routine; cleansing his mind and body, dressing up, and snatching a cup of coffee with a single sugar cube. As he brushed out his hair, occasionally his pale lips met the warm mug to sip the near black coffee.

His days were always quiet, nothing warm brushed him by except the sun that attempted to reach him and other patrons in the lower levels. It was just the devil and him alone in his home, typically Aglaeca favoured that. Though there were days that his usual likings felt amiss. Especially so close to Harmony Day as of the past few years. When the mug finally emptied, he left the lower level residence that was his home for the light. Being down there favoured his tastes and it was interesting to witness time pass. The rusted over train tracks covered with grass was now covered with snow, the weathered buildings of times before that looked far lonesome now in winter, was like a memory for him. As the buildings passed him, the giant soon found himself in middle levels. It was early morning no less but there were people out and about anyway. They had jobs to attend to and residents which was why he was up. His job called for it. His boots dug into the snow covered ground as he made his way to the Department of the Deceased. As an agent, it was his job to direct those that turn up have lives here.

As Aglaeca walked his way to work, he had grown accustom to the frightened looks her received on a daily basis. Some were used to his appearance around the land, but that didn’t mean that they weren’t afraid. His height and his near constant scowl gave that vibe, didn’t help that he was known for a little bit of violence. However he was only an agent, the agents are never armed so he can’t really hurt people. As the snow fell he lifted the collar of his trench coat so that the furred hood tickled against his neck. He never had a problem with the cold before so he was fine with the current weather, though he worried about… a select few sometimes. By the time he had reached the building, snow had gathered in his hood to where he had to flip it over and get it all out. His bony hair was speckled with snow that he decided to just leave there, it wouldn't bother him too much he believed. When he checked in, the devil spied the head agent already there doing work as he always did. The devil sighed audibly as he took his own seat at his desk, sifting through all the files of various lives. With this job he knew a lot of people, 'And lose some.' That's how his days went on, him going through paperwork and people. A mundane life though one of the highlights appeared.

The sound of a woman brought Aglaeca to look up from his work. His ruby eyes spied the woman that was likely to be the source in Rhys' office. He raised a single eyebrow in question and wondered quietly, "What's this one's deal?" He scrunched up his face a bit before returning to his desk work. 'There have been some fussy ones… But this one really is a mess.' From what he recalled, lives that appear in this world only appear if they do not remember their death, regret any unfinished business, or they're in total denial. Usually the messier ones were the ones in denial in his opinion, because of this he almost never took them on. The more irritation some gave him, the more likely he was to strike them down.

“H-Hey we're not done!”

“No go away! You're lying to me! They're here I know it!”

The devil leaned back in his chair to watch the woman storm out of the office in a panic, only to find the head agent running after her. After a few moments of staring at the entrance, there came Rhys with the woman struggling in his arms This was one of the few times Aglaeca pitied his coworker because in all honestly, it look extremely tiring. Another sigh was heard as the giant retreated to his work and thoughts, 'I hope he gets through the day, that new one is going to need a lot of help.'

Time Skip

For the next four hours that same scene replayed repeatedly. That female was a very… feisty? No no, the female was a handful in short. It wasn't long till the two exited together, most likely to show her around the town or her home. Ever so silently as they passed, the devil had saluted to his higher up. With a shake of his head, aloud a thought was spoken, "Hopefully Tsubasa will ease his tiredness." Tsubasa, she was Rhys' partner and that's all Aglaeca really cared to know. He didn't really like digging through others' privacy, hey even he has some morals for a devil. Well, ex-devil since he had died. His story, he fell from grace and had died after being betrayed by his figurative grandmother.

Either way, the male resided at his desk for most of the day. Occasionally he would get up and walk around to ensure that he didn't just sit he day away. A lot of the time, he would stare out the windows and watch the snow fall through out the day. He would crack his knuckles, drink more coffee, and nap occasionally. It was relatively slow and he didn't feel like checking up on any of his cases since no problems had risen. Well, hopefully through the rest of the day. However it was nearing the time of afternoon and he hadn't taken his lunch break quite yet. So, the male began to gather up his files and sorted them in their corresponding folders. The male slid them into the hanging folders within his desk and got up from his desk chair, twisting side to side until he heard those satisfying cracks and pops. He carefully picked up his trench coat that draped the back of his chair and slid his arms through, layering over a gray turtle neck and a pair of black slim fit jeans. After taking out the lose hair tie from his low ponytail, he pulled his hair back again and tied it just as low as before. As he did so his eyes drifted towards the little calendar that sat on his desk, 'Two more days till Harmony Day… Should I even?' Though as quick as the thought intruded his mind, he shook it out. He never really cared for it and he told himself he shouldn't. 'It's the best, it's just some dumb holiday.'

OoC: Wh-Whoo.. First Lae post
Location: Department of the Deceased
Company: N/A
Mentions: Rhys
Feeling: Tired
Outfit: Click

[lilith eve yaoi]

█⋮AT DOTD OFFICExx█⋮ WITH AGLAECAxx█⋮ MENTIONS DESIDERIAxx█⋮ OUTFIT



‘Cold.’ A soft groan came from a small form shuffling underneath the warm covers, which caused the mountain of pillows on the bed to come crashing down onto the floor. ‘It’s warm, too. More sleep.’ As if on cue, the sound of an alarm buzzed mercilessly on the nightstand beside the bed when a small pale hand emerged from underneath the covers and smacked the snooze button. But the alarm clock had already done its job. Jacqueline lifted her head, a tangled mess of dark brown locks obscured her view of the clock and she brushed it off to one side. Six in the morning. ‘Ugh.’ She slowly pushed herself up to sit, making more pillows fall on the floor and stayed like that for a few minutes before finally worming her way out of bed and onto the floor where she, once again, lied down. It was a slow start to her day, as usual. The cold and the early morning – she wasn’t very fond of either and the two combined proved to be quite the challenge for the brunette. ‘Need to get up. Don’t want to be late and Dezi to be mad or someone to call my cellphone or break down my door…’ With a sigh, Jackie stood up slowly, mindful of her swelling right ankle and limped her way to the bathroom.

Freshly showered and clean, Jacqueline picked up the fallen pillows and threw them all on the bed. She sat herself at the edge of the bed and pulled out a roll of bandage from the nightstand. It’s been two days since she sprained her ankle but it still felt sore and delicate. Walking was literally a pain. ‘Kick down the door, Jackie. You can do it, Jackie. Here, an injury just for you, Jackie.’ Wrapping her ankle with the bandage, she glanced at her clock to check time. Seven-thirty. There’s still time left. Before going downstairs, she scooped up the small ball of fur on her bed, “Bonjour, Snowball! You cute bunny. I’ll leave you with the neighbors today, okay?” She held the little creature to her chest and went downstairs for a quick breakfast. She prepared her own meals now, not like when she was still..alive. There were still times she expected to have breakfast already prepared. The first year was difficult for. Everything–from the buildings to the vehicles, it was all new to her. Not to mention, frightening. But there was nothing she could do about it, really. The young woman from a small town in France had died and now "lives" here in Melthazius. With Snowball left to their care, her neighbors also offered to give her a ride to work. She wasn't going to pass up on that.

The library, as usual, had little visitors. Not that she was complaining, of course. If anything, Jackie was pleased with this. It meant less people who'd ask the same questions over and over and not trying to find things for themselves first before asking the librarian. The worst were the children who put snot on the book covers. Disgusting, really. Walking over to her desk, she was not surprised to see two boxes of books lying on the floor. They were expecting the delivery yesterday, though. 'Another day at work', she thought to herself as she picked up a book from the box and sat down.

» TIME SKIP

“Alright! All new arrivals have been cataloged and alphabetically arranged by section. I am finally done!” The librarian mumbled with to no one in particular as she stretched out her arms in the air. If only she knew it would these many, she wouldn't have volunteered to do it alone. But at least, she's free. Now, she can finally to take a break. Exiting the aisles with the cart in tow, she scanned the places where her boss must be and approached her. She must’ve looked silly walking because a group of children started giggling at her and said something about a penguin. “De-si-de-riaaa! ’ll just be off for a short while. I've already put the cart back in place, too. Bye!”

The cold air brushed against her face as soon she took a step outside the library and she adjusted her scarf. A blanket of white covered the streets and snow gently fell from the grey skies. The crisp air tickled her nose every time she inhaled. Oh, and the decorations! Cute little hearts hung from wreathes marked the holiday that was to come - Harmony Day. The thought of baking a cake and cookies to give to someone you care - how romantic! Even though she was lacking in skills of making something edible, Jackie wanted to try her hand at making cookies and maybe give it to a certain someone. For that, she needed to ask someone for help and she needed to buy the ingredients. And a miracle. White snow crunched under her boots with each step she took. She was ever so mindful of how she walked, trying her best to walk on the balls of her feet. It still hurt, though.

As she stood in front of the Department of the Deceased office, Jackie debated whether to go in. The female didn't have any business here, really, but here she was. She retied her bun before putting her hands in her coat's pockets and finally stepped inside. Some panicked chatter and voices of people echoed in the office. The feel of this whole scene brought back memories. She was just as confused and frightened as these newcomers were then. Maybe more. Heh. The agent in charge of her must've had a headache. Speaking of her agent, she spotted his raven hair from where she stood. 'Ah, look at that. He looks really h–' She slapped her cheeks repeatedly until there was a visible blush on each. God! She felt like some kind of creep, standing there by the entrance and looking at him like that. Lingering there for a moment longer, Jackie took one tentative step after the other towards his desk. "Hello!" She waved at him and stopped a few steps away from his desk. Other people present looked at her like she was a crazy person. Not that she blamed them. Not everyone willingly walked up to him and start a conversation. Given this man's reputation and intimidating appearance, it was understandable. In the five years she's known him, there were still times when he intimidated her. Especially those crimson eyes of his. She was slowly getting used to it, though. More or less. "Um, I just...wanted to drop by. Heh." Butterflies. Stupid butterflies in her stomach. Her heart was pounding, too. 'Calm, heart! I'm just talking with him,' she patted her chest as if doing so would calm her feelings. "So, um, are you, by chance, on a break? I-If so, would you like to go out for–"

"COJOCARU!" A man's voice boomed from behind her, making Jackie's small form jump in surprise.

"–coffeewithme. Mon Dieu!" The words left her lips with a whimper. A sharp, stabbing pain that came from her injured foot almost made her cry out a curse word.

After dropping several folders on the giant's desk, the impatient man started talking about troublesome cases that needed to be addressed.

Seeing as the conversation seemed to be important (that, and it seemed like she won't get a word in there), she just gave up on asking Aglaeca. "I'll just go now, then," she said but she wasn't even sure her voice was heard over the walking megaphone's voice. The brunette soon turned and dismissed herself from the two men. Off to Sweet Yums, it was. But first, she needed to free her aching foot from the boot. There were rows of chairs near the entrance and limped her way there. "Ow. Ow." She lifted her foot from her shoe, revealing a flushed and swollen joint. The bandage was loose, too. With her joint properly bound, she carefully wore her boot again. Loose laces, this time. Going to the café didn't sound so appealing right then.



HalflingPuppeteer

[moolah1237]

♛ ⊰B A K E R moolah｡ GENEVIEVE CLAIRE LAFLEUR

LOCATION ♡ Sweet Yums moo MOOD ♡ chipper, confused moo COMPANY ♡ Praline moo MENTIONS ♡ Rhys




• Because of the soft, melodious humming and the sweet smell of fresh baked goods wafting from the kitchen, it wasn't difficult to determine where Geneviève was and what she was currently doing in Sweet Yums. With her long orange blonde hair held back with a crocheted head scarf, the slender baker floured her work space before starting to knead the new batch of dough. When that task was finished, one of the ovens beeped, signaling that the lemon pound cakes were ready. Geneviève wiped her hands on a kitchen towel and patted the front of her apron, putting on her mitts and walking toward the source of the noise. As soon as she opened the oven, new smells were released to mingle with the more indistinct smells in the kitchen.
  
  "Mmmm ~" Geneviève hummed in satisfaction, lightly skipping back to the counter and leaving the small loaves on the racks to cool. She then returned her attention to the dough and proceeded to roll. After she buttered the surface and sprinkled over the cinnamon sugar mix, she giggled, giddy with excitement.
  
  Baking was bittersweet for Geneviève. It reminded her of how and why she became a baker in the first place and of the ring that slipped into the cake that was meant for the prince. It reminded her of how he'd found it and then found her using it. But it also reminded her of the painful reality of her shattered romance. Still, she simply could not believe that her true love would betray her, and it was because of the tiny hope that he still cared for her that she continued to bake. Besides, she loved sweets; it brought people together.
  
  Just then, she heard the front door open. Taking off her apron, Geneviève made her way to the front of the shop to greet the customer or customers. When she saw two people standing in front of the counter, she smiled brightly and waved. "Hello there and welcome to Sweet Yums ~ !" She noticed that one of them - the male - was Rhys. "Hi Rhys ~ ! What can I get for you today?" "I need the best cup of coffee you'll ever make. Right now. Right this very second. I beg you!" The girl nodded. "One cup of coffee, coming right up ~ !"
  
  I need to hire more people, Geneviève thought as she made the coffee with a sigh. I need to get back to baking ~ ! Still, she couldn't help the feeling of pure satisfaction and joy that filled her at seeing Rhys's facial expression as he sipped the coffee that she made. Suddenly, she noticed that the girl hadn't said anything since she stepped into the shop. This made Geneviève shift her attention to said girl, taking in her appearance and demeanor. "Hello! I don't think I've met you before...? Can I get you anything?"
  
  Before the girl could speak, Rhys spoke up once more. "Oh and uh...she's yours to deal with now." At this, Geneviève tilted her head to the side in confusion. "She'll be your new barista." She blinked once, twice, and then broke out into a huge smile at the thought of having a new worker and friend. "I see ~ That's great! Thanks - Rhys? Rhys!" she shouted after Rhys who was already halfway out the door. "Bye, Rhys! See you soon ~ !" She then turned back to the girl and held out her hand. "I'm Geneviève, nice to meet you ~ ! I'm the baker here at Sweet Yums. Sorry it's so toasty in here, but it's usually like this because of the ovens. The cinnamon rolls aren't ready yet, but I have some pound cakes that just came out of the oven!"
  
  "Um...hello. I'm Praline Wyntercharme." Geneviève looked at her with twinkling eyes. "Ooo, that's a pretty name! So tell me, Praline, what types of drinks can you make?" She could hardly contain her excitement that she almost missed what Praline said next. "Wh-what?! B-b-babies?!" Geneviève stuttered.

[HalflingPuppeteer]

————❝ Dᴇsɪᴅᴇʀɪᴀ Mᴀʀɪᴀ Bᴇʟᴍᴏɴᴛᴇ ❞———————————————— ❝ ♛ ❞


Soft musings filled the dark room at six in the morning, "… But if I know you, I'd know what you'd do. You'd love me at once… The way you did once, upon a dream…" The woman's soft pink hair fell down her shoulders as she dried it by hand with a towel. As she sang out, Aria sang along with its owner. It was always a joy for her to sing in the morning with her pet canary. Even with the snow the gently fell from the sky the past couple of days. It was a nice reminder that it was the winter season though it was a little problematic for her. She couldn't have her morning run with all this snow on the ground, 'Much too dangerous with the chance of slip and injuring myself." Her blue eye couldn't help but stare out the window of her bedroom. Snow was always nice, it was soft and every little snowflake, her mind reminded, was unique. While it was cold most people seemed to enjoy it, especially the children that remained in this land. In a way it was sad, to see children in this land. Melthazius was a land of the dead, a limbo for those that couldn't leave. Knowing that children remained in this world was upsetting to see their life so short. 'At least this way,' the female mused, 'they could enjoy the snow and cold without dying of sickness.'

Desideria's pale pink lips puckered at the thought and she shook her head roughly, the locks of pink falling into place. She proceeded to get up from her bed and slip on her clothes before seating her rear in front of the vanity mirror. Blue eyes stared at the female in the reflection that was once her life. Her reflection held a girl well into her early adult years with porcelain skin that had not even a blemish across her face. Her features held elegance and delicacy as her hair was pinned in a bun and the excess fell down her shoulders, framing her face like a portrait. Except her eyes were just like one, they gave off the same feeling a portrait did in an old mansion. Empty, those blue eyes that watched her own were so empty and cold. 'That life was my cage…' the woman thought quietly to herself as she shook her mind loose. After a layer of lip gloss, mascara, and eye liner, the princess walked to her kitchen.

That's right, a princess. The royal blood had once flowed through her veins but she never married off like most princesses. She was twenty four and girls of royal blood typically were married off at a younger age. Except her. Desideria popped two bagel halves into her toaster before fetching a jar of strawberry jam from one of the cupboards. As she waited, the female grabbed the bag of bird feed and opened the rectangular bird cage that sat upon a wooden table. There sat Aria and Tia, her pigeon, resting in their little nests that were propped in their own corners of the cage. Her pale hand reach in and cautiously plucked their feeder, refilling it with bird seed. Aria sang happily and Tia cooed in the same manner as their owner hung the feeder in place. Soon enough they ate away while their pink haired human refilled their water also. Their owner loved the two birds ever so dearly, perhaps because she saw herself in the two of them. One sang and the other yearned to fly about. 'Sweet little birds residing in a cage with their spoiled owner…' A sad smile slipped onto her lips as she heard the toaster ejected the bagels she so desired to devour. A knife met jam, that met with bread as she spread the jelly all over her bagel (both sides of course), before smooching them together into a sandwich. With the bagel stuffed in her mouth, the woman strode over to her darling pets and latched the cage close. 'Stay safe my princesses…'

The princess zipped her heeled boots, despite not going out to run due to ice, she still chose to wear thin heels. After years remain the same age as she had died and residing in this land of the dead for more than fifty years, the girl has gotten used to wearing heels and the tricks to wearing them. Her pale fingers snatched up her jacket and shoulder bag before closing the door and locking it behind her. She glanced at her cellphone and it was already seven in the morning, "Perfection to say the least." The woman walked through the snow as it fell and eventually she pulled her hood up. The morning silence and the sight of the children playing about with adults riding to work, it was soothing in a sense. It was nothing like she had seen while she lived, now though this life was something that she loved and never wanted to leave. While the walk was leisurely by the time she had gotten to the Grand Library all she could see were books beyond her belief. She inhaled deeply and a sigh left her lips. The pink haired maiden could never dislike this smell, it was her savior and in a way, her demise.

Desideria was always the first to arrive at the library and typically the last to leave, it was a lonesome sort of devotion to her job but she couldn't care less. Though not long had she entered, the new arrival of books had finally come in. The delivery person had handed her the two boxes and she held a disapproving look on her face. "S-Sorry about the late delivery, we're closed on Sundays you know…" The woman simply nodded as she signed for the boxes and let the male go on his way. 'Those books better be in excellent condition then, if not I'll file a complaint.' After carrying the packages inside, a box cutter was used to open the two cardboard boxes and checked the contents. Once satisfied with what she saw, they were placed on her coworker's desk, 'Miss Blanchard… Here is your work to start this lovely Winter day.' Soon enough she was behind her own desk with books and other returned items to check back in. In the midst of her work she spied the dark haired maiden walk inside the building with a tired look on her face. Jacqueline had arrived five years ago and she was trouble at first, she became quite likable in the end.

Time Skip

It was well into the afternoon know and she had been doing one of her rounds around the library to inspect things. She checked if books were out of place and aided some of the few people that were currently in the library. As a librarian, it mostly meant residing behind the desk or in the back room, so it was a highly lax job. She got her position as head librarian through work and her adoration of books, though as she finally sat her rear in her desk chair she heard Jackie call her name out. “De-si-de-riaaa!" This caused the pink haired maiden to look up from the book she was idly leafing through. " ’ll just be off for a short while. I've already put the cart back in place, too. Bye!” This left the woman a bit baffled to where she gave out a confused face and closed her book momentarily.

"Pardon, oh of course. Thank you for your services, just don't take too long with your break! Ease off your ankle also Jacqueline!" However she doubted that the girl heard her, she was already out to wherever she was heading out to. As the woman furrowed her eyebrows, a sigh slipped from her lips and she flipped the book back to her spot. It was of course, another book of ridiculous romance and nothing like the classics she read. They were much more modern and only a bit realistic, even then it made her heart beat with a yearning that she couldn't stop on her own. 'Oh well… I hope other citizens of Melthazius enjoy their upcoming holiday of Harmony Day…' Desideria brushed a loose lock of hair behind her ear as her eyelids fluttered in a delicate manner, her blue eyes fell on the pages and continued reading.

OoC: --
Location: Grand Library
Company: N/A
Mentions: Jacqueline
Feeling: Calm
Outfit: Click

[HalflingPuppeteer]

————❝ Aɢʟᴀᴇᴄᴀ Nɪᴄᴏʟᴀᴇ Cᴏᴊᴏᴄᴀʀᴜ ❞———————————————— ❝ ♛ ❞


"Hello!" Well that was an odd sound to hear. As the male pulled that rest of his hair through the hair tie and pulled it down just a bit so it rested at his neck, Aglaeca turned around looking about to find the source of that sound. After a bit of looking about he spied that short brunette (or average, he could never tell with his outrages height), and he stared a little bit. Typically no one spoke to him unless they really needed to so this action of talking to him with free will quietly excited him. He blinked a few times to actually realize what was happening and found that it was Jackie. 'What's she doing here?' the male mused to himself in silence as he gathered his things to leave for lunch. He only waved at her as she… as she waddled over to him? 'That's a little odd… Even for her.' His gloved fingered made his desk seem more organized though it was just files and holders really. It was nothing really and he disliked that idea of sloppiness in his affairs. Especially into the affairs that affected the citizens of Melthazius. Though at the moment things were pleasantly neat, for now anyway. As the french maiden finally made it to his desk she made an attempt to talk to him. "Um, I just… wanted to drop by. Heh."

The devil smiled at her a bit as he tilted his cranium, the ebony bangs swayed ever so slightly to the side. "I can tell Jackie, no one would drop by unless they had a valid explanation for their visit." His ruby eyes stared at the brown eyed miss, quite literally also. She only reached his shoulder in comparison to him. The girl started patting her best which made him give a confused look. Though she had kept talking,

"So, um, are you, by chance, on a break?" The tall male simply nodded to the woman to answer her question. However the female continued to speak, "I-If so, would you like to go out for–"

Sadly, Aglaeca couldn't catcher the rest of that sentence as he heard the ever obnoxious shouting of one of his coworkers. An audible sigh left his lips as he pushed his way towards the devil, what was his name? Ah yes… "What do you want from me Everett?" The male had a lot more bark than the agent would like to listen to.

Everett had begun to jab the agent's chest, "How about you doing some of these cases? These people are on your accou-"

"Ah ah, your cases Everett. We each get our own share of cases and while I ask, rather kindly at that, for Rhys to pick up a few for me, I at least make up for it. If they're so troublesome, then do your job." Aglaeca had no higher states above his coworkers, Rhys was the head in the establishment but he was kind enough to give some lean way. Though as he stared in the space behind his coworker he saw Jackie slowly walk away. As the male in front of him was about to retort, the devil gave an uncaring gaze and held his finger in front of his pale lips. "I'll take half of your load, hmm? In turn how about you turn around?" A confused look appeared on the guy's face as he picked up roughly half of the case files and shoved them into his hands. Then he gripped his shoulder and roughly turned him around, pointing at Jackie. "Now go apologize to her, you shoved her out of the way and she's my case. I don't take kindly to those that interrupt my people when they're attempting to talk to me."

Aglaeca could see his coworker grow furious and stormed off with the case files in his hands. A low growl rumbled out of his throat as he walked off and he grunted a bit when he was finally out of his sight. "Jackass…" He sighed finally and filed the cases away directly under his desk in a drawer. After bumping his hip into the drawer so it would close he walked over to Jackie who sat by the entrance. As he walked over, the male watched the female wrap some bandages around her ankle which answered the question he imposed on himself earlier on. The agent stood over her for a moment before saying in a frustrated tone. "I'm sorry about that Jackie… He tends to be an a*****e sometimes, all bark and hardly a bite from him…" Red eyes fell upon her boot which were left unlaced, without really thinking he knelt in front of Jacqueline and took the laces in hand. Ever so carefully he pulled at them and absentmindedly tied them in a slow thoughtless manner before saying, "So, what were you saying earlier on? I couldn't quite catch you." Once he was done and looked up at her the frown that he held before slipped into a small smile again. The male raised an eyebrow as he pointed to her boot with a sigh. "Mind explain this also, Miss Blanchard?" The devil liked seeing Jackie around, she was an awkward little thing with a bunch of little oddities. Though it was amusing to say the least, to see her. He worried now however, 'With that busted ankle, how does she expect to get better? Is she supposed to limp about in the middle of winter with snow on the ground? …Honestly this girl…' She was quite fussy at first, but she grew on him gradually.

OoC: --
Location: Department of the Deceased
Company: Jackie
Mentions: Rhys
Feeling: Frustrated, worried, pleased
Outfit: Click

[- - caffe espresso]

PRALINE FORMAT REMOVED
　　　　　　　　Praline　　|　　Rhys　　

　　WITH GENEVIEVE　　　　　　AT SWEET YUMS　　　　　　MENTIONS RHYS　　


• Coming to the little café was quite an interesting adventure for Praline who had never been so far from her tower befoure. Part of her wished she never met the man who got her pregnant, wished even more so that Dame Gothel didn’t try to kill her and more than anything she just wanted to be back in her tower where she would feel safe. Alas that was not the case, that was never going to be the case again and instead this was her new life. The café was warm and inviting from the chilly cold that was the outside world. Here it felt safe too, she liked feeling safe even though she could tell Rhys wanted nothing more than to rip her tongue out. I asked too many questions, she thought to herself nervously. She had let her curiosity for this new world get the better of her. The worker here soon greeted Rhys, They know each other? she wondered in silence since Rhys seemed to forbid her from speaking. She liked her tongue so she would keep quiet until she was permitted to speak again.
  
  Genevieve had gotten Rhys his cup of coffee, he seemed so much happier after taking the sip that she hoped soon she could ask what that thing even was along with what is coffee? When she was addressed by the baker she opened her mouth to speak but Rhys had interrupted, obviously he just wanted to be rid of her and this situation. So he quickly departed leaving the two females alone and that meant she could speak now, he wasn’t around to cut out her tongue. There was an introduction along with a hand held out to her. What is with her hand? Praline was confused simply because such a gesture was never given to her befoure so she stared at it briefly then up at the owner of said hand as she listened. Now was the perfect time to introduce herself too and of course the most important question of all – her babies.
  
  Praline nodded at Genevieve, “Yes my babies.” She placed a hand over her tummy again, a look of despair across her face. “They were right here but… but… now they’re gone.” Soft blue eyes began to water as she thought on the fact that her babies were lost somewhere. Many would think she would know by now that a baby cannot survive outside of womb at only a good six months pregnant but Praline, locked away in her tower, was as uninformed as they come. Looking back at her new boss she shuffled awkwardly in her place and lowered her hands to her side. “You haven’t seen them either have you? No one seems to know where they went,” she spoke in a soft voice. A moment of silence was between the two, probably Genevieve struck by horror but it allowed Praline a moment of determination to fill her causing her to ball up her fists and practically yell, “I know they’re here though! I will find my babies!” Praline nodded firmly and turned to go look for them but she remembered clearly what Rhys had said to trick her really to stop looking. They won’t be found if you skip out on your job. “Right,” she whispered out loud and turned back to Genevieve. “I have to stay here though first cause I – I won’t find them if I don’t work he said.” Would she tell her the truth? Hopefully she wouldn’t if she wanted to keep her new barista around, then again, did she really want Praline of all people as a barista?
  
  Shuffling again in her place she stared at the female and remembered she asked something befoure she interrupted her. “Oh right! I – I’m sorry! I did not answer you earlier. That was rude of me,” she said in an apologetic tone, “but I cannot make any drinks.” Honestly she was in awe watching Genevieve work that… contraption to begin with. “I’ve never seen anything like that befoure either. H – how… do I… make things with such a large … um,” she bit her bottom lip unsure, “thing.” In her world such a machine was unknown to her but it didn’t scare her… yet thankfully. Though she was nervous and could feel her temperature rising as she stood in there. The black haired female tugged at her collar, her clothes were so awkward for her to wear but Rhys made sure she wasn’t still in her tattered clothing from when she died. The long sleeved white shirt made her feel hot and just as uncomfortable as the deep purple skirt that went with it. She would have to get used to it though as Genevieve did mention that it will always be this hot in here or usually due to the ovens. “I’ve never baked either,” she softly said more to herself than to her boss. “But I will learn this barista if it means I can find my babies!” Praline nodded with determination, she had to find them and if this was the first step then so be it. Oh if only she really knew.

[- - caffe espresso]

RHYS FORMAT REMOVED
　　　　　　WITH TSUBASA　　　　　　AT WATERWAY MARKET　　　　　　MENTIONS PRALINE & GENEVIEVE


• Having Tsubasa next to him felt wonderful and was such a relief to his aching soul. "I'm the only one allowed to make your life difficult," she said causing him to chuckle. “Mmm indeed,” he finally replied and gave her a quick kiss. She was adourable, always was but man did she give him such a hard time when she first got here. He watched her depart to gather her things so the two of them could skedaddle. While she was getting her things Rhys waited by the door, a pair of gloves caught his eyes as he scanned them over. Tsubasa was soon by his side and offered to make him some later. “I’d appreciate that. It’s nice to have another pair other than these,” he said as he slipped his hands back into the black gloves that matched the rest of his outfit; his fingers soon interlocked with hers. “The waterway market sounds good. It’s very beautiful this time of year; though, I do rather enjoy it more in spring when the blossom trees are in bloom.” At her mentioning getting a pair of gloves for her Rhys looked down at their hands hers were clearly ungloved which made him furrow his brows. “You should. I know, I know,” he quickly started in defense, “You’ve dealt with worse weather in your life but it doesn’t mean I can’t worry about you getting sick here.” The last thing he wanted was to watch her fade away befoure they had more time together. The mere thought of not having her there anymore pained him quickly causing him to look at the shops they were now passing by. It wasn’t long until her voice brought him back to looking at her. “Hmmm… a boat ride sounds nice. Yeah, let’s do it,” he said with a smile.
  
  Together they made their way through the crowded walkway, down the stairs towards the boat rental part of the market. Rhys paid the guy and helped Tsubasa onto the boat, settling in in front of her befoure shoving off. He dipped the oar into the water and paddled them up the river, technically, towards the actual market. “Today was pretty rough for me,” he said deciding to break the calm, “I have to say though, between you and her, she is far worse.” Rhys sounded fine though, not upset in the slightest as he shook his head and continued paddling along. The river moved slowly enough so it wasn’t too troublesome to boat through. “It sucks having to be stuck with her but I’m hoping not to get a call from Genevieve about her running out of work.” He paused in the paddling and turned to look at Tsubasa. “I kind of lied,” he made his guilty face, “I told her she’d find her babies only if she worked.” He looked so guilty right now for he honestly did feel bad lying to her about it. “She just wouldn’t believe that she was dead and they were back into the life stream.” The agent sighed out thinking about how much karmic retribution would come from such a horrible lie.
  
  Taking up the oar again he moved the boat close to some shops. “Hmmm… how about we get some daikon radish to go with dinner tonight?” he mused as he saw some fresh ones sitting in a box calling his name. Whether or not she wanted them tonight wasn’t on his mind as he was soon at the stall. “Hi there, Amris. Can I get these three daikons?” he asked as he pointed to the three he wanted. Hnnn he could eat them up by himself but that’d be greedy, no no, he’d share with his sweetheart. Once Amris bagged them up Rhys paid and thanked him then pushed back off into the market. “What should we make with these?” he said in an extremely happy tone as he set the bag in between them. “Ah how about sinigang? Do you know how to make that?” he inquired rather curious. It wasn’t a dish he had when he was alive but one he learned to make from a friend when he was dead, sadly, said friend moved on. While it was sad it was also a good thing, just not one Rhys wanted to ever do… currently, who knows what the future holds.
  
  “Right we’ll need some meat. Let’s do beef tonight. Are you alright with that?” Living together with Tsubasa was great and he couldn’t wait to get home so they could cook up this meal together. “I’m sure we have enough rice right?” he pondered seeing as that’s what went underneath the soup. Turning to her again he sheepishly smiled, “Do we have eggplant at home?” What man? Do you never check your damn fridge!?

[Hitokiri Hitaru]

✦location: Waterway Marketxxxxxx ✦Company: Rhysxxxxxx ✦Mentions: Pralinexxxxxx ✦Wearing: stunning kimono #1




• A laugh escaped her lips as Rhys scolded on her lack of gloves, resulting in her nodding her head in agreement. "I'll make myself some gloves then as soon as I can, You'll just have to deal with keeping my hands warm yourself then in the meantime," Tsubasa said with a firm nod, though truthfully still not so bothered by the cold. All the winters seemed so mild in the city as opposed to the mountain village....heck, she wasn't nearly as bundled up there as she was now when she managed just fine. No way was she going to tell Rhys that, but she didn't mind his worrying over her, something that really put her at ease. It was proof that she was precious to him after all, precious enough to worry and fret over. It was a horrid thought to have, but Tsubasa felt that if she did end up getting sick one day, it wouldn't be so bad of an experience since she knew he would take good care of her. "...I wonder what color gloves I should make?" she mused as they continued walking, her thoughts only interrupted by Rhys agreeing with her idea. "Right? It's a good change of pace."
  
  Reaching the docks, Tsubasa whispered her thanks to Rhys as he helped her into the boat once he had paid for their little aquatic excursion. Sitting down across from him, she flattened the folds of her kimono and coat before she offered him a happy smile. She eagerly anticipated to listening to the head agent's horrible day, something that still seemed unthinkable to her. Rhys simply wanted to help any one acclimate to the confusing situation that was dying in one's own world and waking up in a drastically different one. Wasn't she his poster child for a well-adapted citizen? Well...well enough, there was still plenty in the city that scared her, but hey, she was getting better at dealing with appliances (minus that horrifying blender). "I'm all ears," she replied as he began to speak about his day. Leaning forward just a bit, she nodded slowly as he began explaining. "Being worse than me is a bit overkill..." Tsubasa replied softly with a playful smile, knowing how her first days must have grated on Rhys nerves with her wanting to desperately go back home. How she moved on from being miserable to wanting to make his time as miserable as she could, despite the fact that she always behaved as an excellent host whenever he came to her the home she had been assigned to. Rhys had allowed her to turn him into her outlet for letting out her frustrations...and yet look where she was now, seated in across from him in a boat, wanting to soothe whatever feathers his new case had ruffled on him. "So she's at Sweet Yums..." Tsubasa made sure to commit that to memory, just in case a visit would be in order. Sometimes a woman's touch was needed with such things, but she would make sure not to overstep her bounds. "Well at least she didn't slap you or anything, right?" she asked slowly, giving him a curious glance wondering how off the rocker the woman was.
  
  "Her babies?" Oh no...that was far worse than she had imagined. Tsubasa sucked on her bottom lip gently as she thought over the implications such an unfortunate even could have upon a person. Her violet eyes softened slightly as she watched the guilt on Rhys' face seem to grow. Scooting towards the edge of her seat, Tsubasa reached out and gently cupped his face in her hands, making sure that he didn't once think to look away from her. "It may feel like a bad thing on your part...but maybe that's what she needs right now. It may be a lie...but it's a purpose though, right? At least until she finds something here, that's something she has to work towards, so she won't end up listless and simply laying around somewhere....that has to count for something, right?" It was a horrible thing, Tsubasa wasn't so daft as to think otherwise, a mother who lost her children and they must have been incredibly young at that, but at least they reached the life stream. They'd have another chance for life, surely. Still, regardless of the guilt he felt, that lie was probably a necessity that hopefully over time that woman would come to realize the truth about. She gently brushed one of her bandaged hands over his cheek before pulling back and sitting properly on her seat once more.
  
  For a brief moment, Tsubasa shifted her glance away from Rhys and onto the river, watching with fascination at the ripples as Rhys continued to paddle them along. Children, huh? The dark-haired woman tried not to let it bother her, but the case was enough to remind her of an all too painful fact. She would never bear anyone any children. It was something that had never really crossed her mind back on the mountain, well it had been brought up once or twice, but once her husband became ill, any thoughts of children left her mind with things of greater importance, such as saving his life. She always assumed there would be a future, some later date, but the gods certainly were cruel beings. Tsubasa was glad that Rhys was side-tracked by the sight of radishes, that way he wouldn't notice how her hand rested briefly on her belly for a moment before folding them both gently atop her lap. It was beyond upsetting to know that the man in front of her would have certainly been an amazing father had circumstances turned out differently.
  
  Her attention was quick to return once she noticed a bag of daikon placed in between them, causing her to smile. Was that on purpose to placate her with vegetables she was familiar with or was it just that Rhys liked the taste? I read too deeply into his motivations sometimes, I swear. "Well...with whatever we make...if there are leftovers of the daikon, I can pickle them for the future and put them in lunches?" Tsubasa offered as she gave him a sheepish smile. She could make a salad with the daikon, but in her opinion it was far too cold for that. She would much rather feed Rhys something like a soup or stew to warm him up. "I can add it to miso soup," she added with a firm nod. Hearing his suggestion, Tsubasa tilted her head to the side. "Sini...wah?" There in lied the answer he was looking for. How many times had he caught her unaware of a certain dish. Feeling so unknowledgable left a bad taste in her mouth and caused her to puff out her cheeks slightly in annoyance before she looked away briefly. "So embarrassing..." Tsubasa mumbled under her breath as she contemplated how to play off her embarrassment. Luckily for her, his mental preparations were enough of a distraction and she was soon back to looking back at him and smiling.
  
  "We have one eggplant and enough rice for a few more days...I swear, what would you do without me?"

[deeru]

( ♡ ) ━━　WHEN I WAS A CHILD I HAD NOBODY IN THIS WORLD
　　　　　　　I WAS LEFT ALONE JUST A SWEET LITTLE QUIET GIRL　　I WAS LEFT ALONE JUST A SWEET LITTLE QUIET GIRL　　I WAS LEFT ALONE JUST A SWEET LITTLE
　　　　　　▇▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇ ▇ ▇ ▇ ▇ ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇ ▇
　　　　　　　　YEARS WENT BY AND STILL NO ONE CAME　　COME AND TAKE ME SOON　　I'VE BEEN WAITING FOR FAR TOO LONG　　THEN ONE DAY THINGS CHANGED
　　　　　　　　YEARS WENT BY AND STILL NO ONE CAME　　COME AND TAKE ME SOON　　I'VE BEEN WAITING FOR FAR TOO LONG　　THEN ONE DAY THINGS CHANGED
　　　　I LEARNED TO LIVE AND N↺W I HAVE FO↺ND WHERE I BEL↺NG╮　✶
　　　　　　　　　LOCATION lakia spa　　　　COMPANY christopher　　　　MOOD lighthearted

There were many things in Melthazius that were awe-inducing. Simple as can be, the sights were truly exotic in their own value━or, at least, exotic when compared to the world of the living. There was much to do when alive, but there was much to lose as well. In Melthazius? Activities were limited, but things lost were kept at a minimal scale. With what the city lacked, it made up for it through the scenery.

The rustling of a page flipped came from Kenna's dainty fingers. '...And then, with tears glistening on her face, she laid a hand onto Beast's chest and sobbed, crying out in frustration when he gasped for a breath of air.' She tucked her feet under her, boring holes into the book with the intensity of her eyes. '...At long last, she realized the underlying feelings for him and tears trickled down her face. As his heart stopped beating, she screamed out to the heavens to not take him from her━it was too unfair; too cruel. A shock of lightning lit up the sky and, as if by magic, the Beast lifted up with light engulfing his entire being.'

As it was, anyone passing by would've realized as much: she was reading Beauty and the Beast. Stories such as these amazed her to no end━the context, the morals, the lessons taught by such a simple story. Kenna was offered no luxury for things such as reading when she was alive. It was a cruel world where the females of the Kingdom stayed away from literature and politics, often leading them to become lost sheep in a herd of lions. Although now, she was given the freedom to do as she pleased, it was surprising that the only thing to capture her attention were folklores and fairy tails.

A couple of minutes passed as she finally finished up the last of the story, sighing contently and collapsing into a heap on the bench she was sitting at. It wasn't so much that she enjoyed reading as it was that it intrigued her about the different fantasies that people could brew up. She shut the book gingerly and stood up, fixing her hair in a manner similar to someone who would have just finished up a physically-demanding activity.

Kenna stood up, brushing off her clothes and smoothing it out softly. As other citizens of the city rustled about, she turned towards a familiar store up ahead. It was a natural habit to always visit Christopher━and it was also a natural habit to go to him for any hair advice. Despite being demanding in her own way, the guy always seemed to be able to handle her petty demands; lucky, too, or she would've had his head the second he touched her hair.

She gripped the book tightly with her arms as she made her way up to her said-friend's workplace. The doors opened with a chime as she stepped through the entrance. "Christopher?"

"Yeah. Over here."

His voice echoed from the back and her eyes rose to meet his figure. Unlike many other people she had met in the past, he was a person of fashion, often going out of his way to wear things that looked casual but well kept. He rose his hand and motioned for her to sit in one of the chairs, particularly the one that he was brushing off and straightening. She allowed herself to steal a glance around the store before making her way towards him, sitting down in front of him and straightening her pose.

"I thought we agreed that you'd come by at two? Not one to make appointments, are you." The both of them laughed in unison.

"It goes without saying that it is a lady's privilege to be fashionably late."

As the conversation continued, she felt his hand touch her messily-tied hair and release it from the hair tie. At once, her hair fells down in messy waves and loops. He clicked his tongue, apparently unamused by her poor management of her hair.

"You'd think you learned by now. Hair like this? What a waste." He gingerly touched some strands of hair that stuck up like a radar and whistled. "Yeah. You're definitely going bald by the next decade." Kenna made a swiping motion at his face and he dodged it lightheartedly. "I'm joking! I'm joking. But seriously, what a waste of good hair. If you took up the habit of taking care of it everyday, I'm sure you'd be more popular."

Like always, she ignored his commentary. "I'd like it in a braid. A side braid."


OOC intro's aren't my forte. if anyone wants to interact with the two, feel free! it's just a quick way of making sure chris has a path for an intro as well.

[lilith eve yaoi]

█⋮AT SWEET YUMSxx█⋮ WITH AGLAECA, GEN, PRALINExx█⋮ MENTIONS PRALINExx█⋮ OUTFIT



Of course, she was spotted. And of course, it had to be him, of all people, who saw the whole thing! She sheepishly smiled as he approached her, unsure what to do for a moment. Jackie just shrugged when he apologized for earlier. She didn’t mind and she wasn’t really upset so it was all good. Then, without a word, he knelt in front of her and fixed her laces. Dear lord! She would’ve told him to stop but he was done in a second which left her to mumble a quick thank you instead.

“Oh, I was just wondering if you’d like to go to Sweet Yums with me?” she almost covered her mouth in surprise after saying those words. Not because it wasn’t what she intended to say but because of how easily she asked him. What a pleasant surprise for the little woman.

Then there it was. As expected, he inquired about her injury.

“Ah, my foot? I, uh, slipped—fell down the stairs,” she said with a crinkle of her nose before looking away. There was no way she’d tell him the real reason for this – that this was the result of stupidity and impulse. That she inadvertently left her keys inside the house when she locked her door and how she tried to follow his example by kicking it down which only led to her slipping and twisting her ankle. Yeah, no. No way. Jackie, not wishing to be subject to further questions slowly rose to her feet. “So, uh, yes. Sweet Yums?”

To say she was delighted was an understatement. With him agreeing to go with her made her all warm and tingly inside. It took everything in her power to keep herself from doing a little victory dance. Instead, she clasped her hands together to her chest and waddled out the office. The café wasn’t too far from here but she sure wished it could be just a bit further away. Just so she can walk beside him for a while longer. She was perfectly content with that but she sure wasn’t ready when he stopped and crouched down. What did he say? ‘I-Is this… Is this a piggyback ride?!’ Good god. What was happening? “Are you sure? I mean, it’s not that far away and it – okay.” She gingerly held onto his shoulders as he slowly stood up.

Jackie never thought this day would come but it was happening! But damn it was embarrassing. Her heart sped and heat climbed to her cheeks then ears. Embarrassing as it may be, she liked it. His back felt warm and it soothed her. Sometimes she wondered what it was that made her like him. And this was the answer. It was the little things – checking up on her (that may just be an agent thing but still), tying her laces, and giving her a piggyback ride, which she was pretty sure, he’s super embarrassed to be doing. And she was right! His slow pace turned into a brisk walk and within moments they were standing in front of Sweet Yums.

The aroma of freshly baked bread and coffee greeted her the moment she stepped inside. Simply wonderful. Upon entering, she noticed a new face next to the baker. “Bonjour, Gen!” she greeted her friend but her attention was fixed on the selection of bread in front of her. “I’ll just go with the usual croissants and hot cocoa, please. Merci.” As she waited for Genevieve to complete her order, she couldn’t help but wonder. “Who’s she? Just a new employee here or a newcomer to the city?” she asked in French. It’s not everyday she got to talk in her mother tongue and it was utterly refreshing to converse in her own language. Thank god for Genevieve! Turning to the lady standing by the espresso machine, she threw a smile in her direction. Based on the looks the woman was giving the appliance… Maybe a newcomer, indeed.



HalflingPuppeteer

s h y LUMiNESCE

moolah1237