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 Posted: Tue Feb 08, 2011 7:09 pm
Hyacinthe would have jumped if he had not spotted the woman who was heading his way with all her might. He knew he had been noticed the moment he felt the strong gaze of the woman on him. He looked up her way, following her movements as she came to him. He straightened up but he had to admit that after the first words spoken by the woman, he was not so at ease. Why did he have to show up to the castle in such ragged clothes?! He remembered the man, the strange Dawn Strider he had met years ago. He was not well dressed by any mean. Yes, but he was not in a Castle! And even worse, crashing a party!
Judging by the woman's way and her clothing, she was not one of the maids, far from it. Maybe a high ranked knight? His experience with women being limited to his mothers, some older maids and the peasants he crossed during his journey, the Captain looked like a Goddess to him, although he had no idea who she truly was. Despite the incongruity of the situation and the embarrassment, Hyacinthe had given up on feeling sorry for himself. He had his pride and looked the woman right up in the eyes without staring.
"Forgive the traveler that I am. I do know where I am for this is the place I have been seeking." he paused and looked around.
"However I did not intend on intruding on such a festive party in such poor attire."
His voice was calm as usual, polite, almost graceful. He noticed it and almost sighed. He did not sound feminine at all but just far too elegant for the clothes he was wearing. But this was not the moment to become angry at himself or at his family. An anger he had been cultivating along the way, noticing with each new step he took, each new thing he learned, how much his family had robbed him by training him and sheltering him the way they did.
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Posted: Tue Feb 08, 2011 7:27 pm
Izzy smirked a bit as Agito went back to get some "real" food after examining her own plates, and when he returned to her side she followed his gaze... to the Captain. Her first thought was if she was smirking at them again, but that quickly changed when she saw the man that had come in... Was he new to the lands? That had to be it because any strider knew about the party and was forced to come... and it was a recommendation to be properly dressed for the occasion as well. "Who do you think that is?"
Pippa peeked out from around the Captain's head having attached herself there when the small woman went after some strange man. Oooooh, interesssssting... he'sssss differrrrrent. Verrrrry diferrrrent She started to pur again, no longer worried about the twins that she wanted to cuddle with so much. Reperching herself on Neciels shoulder, she mewed at the stranger... and purred louder.
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Krombopulos Michael Captain
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Posted: Tue Feb 08, 2011 7:50 pm
Smiling faintly at the way the man responded, the captain raised an eyebrow in amusement. "The occasion is just a coincidence, though pay it no mind. I suppose it would have happened eventually, as you assure me you are not lost." her tone reinforced her amused expression, and she looked him over again. The way he carried himself seemed to go against his attire; he certainly didn't act like a peasant. Glancing around once, she notes the strange look the young man drew; he certainly did stick out. Noting for the first time the cat attached to her back, the captain reaches up to her should to scratch her gently behind the ear. Despite her small stature, she seemed unperturbed by the extra weight on her shoulder.
Turning full attention back to the strange man, the captain's hands move once more to rest on her hips. "Since you know where you are, this must mean you were headed here. It's quite unusual for one to end up here by accident." she mused aloud. He had been searching for the Striders, it seemed, though she couldn't say why. There seemed to be no malicious intent, and she relaxed slightly in his presence. Tilting her head to the side, away from Pippa, the captain looks at the man questioningly. "And as you were looking for this place, that must mean you have a purpose. What is your purpose here, O Mysterious Traveler?" "I have no idea." he responded, shrugging. He certainly couldn't be a Strider; he wouldn't dare show up here dressed as such. To do so would surely bring down the captain's wrath, and as he wasn't prepared, this meant only that he was unaware of the vicious woman. He almost felt bad for the guy, as the captain was probably tearing into him right now. It was hard to tell with her; half the time people didn't even know they were being insulted until she stopped smiling. She could be quite the deceitful character when she wished to be, and Agito was thankful he was not on her bad side. "But I pity him."
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Posted: Wed Feb 09, 2011 7:28 am
Hyacinthe's eyes lingered a moment on the strange...cat? which was perched on the woman's shoulder. Friend or enemy he knew not, outside of the fact that the animal went on purring after obviously scanning him which he took as a good omen. However not good enough for him to dare pet the purring beast.
His gaze refocused quickly on the woman who was talking to him. He liked her ways. For such a small person she sure was not impress a bit by someone a head taller than she was. But once again, dressed as he was, he guessed that no one would be impressed by himself! She looked very amused at the overall situation and he did not know if he should be relaxing or worrying at the fact. He chose neither option and just remained on his guard as he always was.
Someone though was bugging him a little. He had caught gaze looking at him, which he expected seeing how poorly dressed he was, but also looking at her. Once again the thought that she was a higher ranked Strider crept in his mind. How do you address a high ranked officer? He was at a loss on the subject when came his turn to speak.
Her way to address him brought a smirk to his face.
"The name is Hyacinth, I come from the Minamoto Shrine in the Sky Reach Mountains, not too far from the Temple of the Sun." He explained, knowing that few people knew of the Minamoto Shrine but many were aware of the Temple of the Sun. The thought made him snicker. How his family was so self centered and unaware how their little petty shrine meant nothing to the rest of the world, not even to the surrounding villages.
The young man shifted slightly, his fan coming bumping against his belt in a metallic discrete noise. A purpose? He did not answer at first. What was his purpose? Did he want to join the Striders? Did he want to learn more about his own abilities? For the moment, he wanted to find that man. What a short term purpose! He had believed himself so mature and adult when he left the Shrine in the middle of the night...but he was still acting like a child without purpose...
"I am looking for a man, a Dawn Strider." he said at last, a hint of respect or even admiration in his voice, his clear eyes looking passed the woman to see if he could spot the stranger. Then he looked back at the Captain.
"He told me to come find him...when I'd be ready." He blinked. Was he ready? He hoped so.
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Krombopulos Michael Captain
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Posted: Wed Feb 09, 2011 8:50 am
Listening quietly as he introduced himself, the captain took a moment to search her memory for anything related to the shrine he mentioned. She knew where the Sky Reach Mountains were located, as well as the Temple of the Sun, but she had not heard of the Minamoto Shrine. The mountains were in the Cross Roads and, despite her constant travel years earlier, she hadn't spent much time in them; there were more than enough mountains in her own territory to keep her entertained.
"My name," she hesitated only a moment, mentally running over her alias before throwing it away, "is Neciel. And if is a Strider you are looking for, you have come to the right place." turning to glance about the room as he had, a new smirk appears at her lips. "Though I'm afraid you will have to be a bit more specific. This is Dawn Castle, and so is filled with Dawn Striders." at least the list had narrowed a bit, as he seemed to be looking for a man. Sadly, that still left quite a large number of people, and that was only if this man was actually a Strider. A man, who must have been on a mission in the Sky Peak Mountains... that was still so many.
"Is there anything special about this man?" she asks, trying to get a better idea of who it might be. "Say, anything off about his appearance? Or perhaps why you are looking for someone when you do not seem to even know his name?"
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Posted: Wed Feb 09, 2011 9:19 am
Pippa leaned into the Captain's hand, loving the scratch. It was soooooo niccccce. The stranger seemed nice enough, too, though he simply stared at her. No petting? She mewed at him again and kneeded Neciel's shoulder as her eyes stayed trained on the man. Pet me, pet me petmepetmepetme~ She was very close to jumping on him to get what she wanted. She couldn't play with any babies, so she'd play with the strange man instead. Shrine man must pet me
Izzy continued to watch the man and Neciel, spotting Pippa on the woman's shoulder. "I dunno if pity is needed. Pippa's in quite the good mood, and I don't think she would be if the Captain was mad... oh..." he picked up on some of her feline partner's thoughts. "He's from a shrine... that's interesting." Perhaps she should greet him as well. Especially if he was from a sister shrine to hers... or better, a rival.
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Posted: Wed Feb 09, 2011 9:43 am
The name rang a bell in the young man's mind or rather an alarm. That was a name he was supposed to know, something important, she was important, yet he was unable to guess who she was. How troublesome! he thought to himself. He followed the woman's gaze into the room. Were all those people Striders?! The thought left him numb and feeling even more stupid.
As time passed he was finding himself totally unprepared and appearing very juvenile. He hated the feeling.
"I am honored, Lady Neciel." Hyacinthe said at first with a short bow which was a strang mix between a female curtsy and a male nod. Whatever her rank, he owed her respect and also he was grateful to her for spending time with him while there were so many guests which were much more deserving that he was.
As he looked back at the short woman next to him, his eyes crossed the ones of the dark animal on her shoulder. The cat seemed to be starring at him with a purpose and Hyacinthe had to admit that the cat's attitude was letting him puzzled. He felt as if the animal was about to...pounce on him! He turned back to Neciel to answer her.
"I sadly was never given his name." He paused trying to collect his memories.
"Everything about him was dark. His skin, his eyes, his hair, even his clothes, although that would not be of help today..." he had with a short amused sigh.
He paused. He was reluctant to admit that he had been totally defenseless in front of the man, despite fighting training since infancy...especially to a strong and beautiful woman.
"He had the ability to prevent people from moving...just by using his mind." He tried to sound casual and not too enthusiast when he added that last bit of information. He also did not explain why he was looking for the man. Was it to learn more about himself? Was it only to get his tessens back?
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Posted: Wed Feb 09, 2011 11:13 am
Plucking the cat from her shoulder with one hand, the captain holds the small beast in crossed arms. Scratching Pippa behind the ears, the captain frowns at her for being a tad too curious. "Now you stop causing trouble. You will scare the poor man away at this rate." she scolds lightly, glancing up once more. She raised an eyebrow at the man, as if daring him to comment on her speaking to a cat. Sighing inaudibly at the formality tacked on to the front of her name, the captain brushes it off before turning her mind back to the matter at hand.
"A man with dark skin, eyes and hair who was a Dawn Strider, and could prevent you from moving." she repeated, amused at this description. It was so very vague, but it narrowed down the suspect pool a bit. There were still plenty to sort through, and the captain had little advice to offer. "Psychic abilities are not exactly uncommon around these parts." frowning, she glances once more around the room. "Though you are welcome to take a look about and see if you find this mystery man." "I think you should let the Captain handle him for now." Agito responds, a tad confused by the woman's facial expression as she glanced about. "I don't think she knows what to think of him yet. Which means he is still in potential danger." he points out, looking once at his plates. He could feel his stomach complain that the food hadn't quite made it there yet, and Agito spins to make his way to one of the benches against the wall. Resting one plate on his lap, and keeping the other in hand, he begins to eat. Hopefully Izzy would follow him if she was done spying, though one never knew.
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Krombopulos Michael Captain
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Posted: Wed Feb 09, 2011 11:19 am
Purring mre than ever as she was snuggled in the Captain's arms and scratched oh so delightfully, the cat merely tilted her head with a tiny'mew' to the scolding. She couldn't have possibly done anything wrong. But she glanced back at the man again and mewed once more before staying silents and enjoyed the exccelent treatment she tended to recieve in the Captain's arms.
"I suppose..." But if he was from a shrine, that meant she or her sister could potentially help with determining whether he was a threat or not. Oh well. Her eyes followed AGito as he seemed adamant on leaving right then. Ah, passively taking charge, hm? She smirked a little and followed after him, taking a seat and setting two plates to her side and leaving the other in her lap.
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Posted: Wed Feb 09, 2011 11:42 am
Hyacinthe was not chocked as much by seeing the woman speaking to the cat than by hearing her say he was 'scared'.
"Forgive my boldness but I am not scared by that...cat... merely...puzzled."
At that moment the cat seemed to meow again at him and the young man tilted his head in dismay. Why was that cat staring at him like that? Was it trying to read his mind of something?
When the Captain mentioned that psychic abilities were not rare amongst the Striders, Hyacinthe became certain that that strange cat could indeed read his mind. He took the opportunity that Neciel looked around the room to stare in the cat's eyes and think very slowly.
Please, stop staring at me like that, this is rude.
Hopeful that the message had passed, his gaze shifted to the room. He was torn.On the one hand, being able to meet so many Striders at once was a unique opportunity, and the chance that that man he met years back was high. On the other hand, he did not want to crash such a gathering, especially dressed so poorly.
"Thank you." He answered simply then he added. "Would there be a place where I could make myself a little more...presentable...?" He asked not at ease, but without shame. He wished there had been a town around the castle with merchants so that he could have bought a new set of acceptable clothing.
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Krombopulos Michael Captain
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Posted: Wed Feb 09, 2011 8:54 pm
Glancing at the cat once, the captain simply shrugs. "She wants you to pet her, I am sure." she replies simply, scratching the cat's ears to keep it distracted. She seemed adamant about getting the young man's attention, though she couldn't rightfully be surprised; Pippa seemed to like needling her way into being the center of attention. Normally the captain didn't mind it, but at the moment she was trying to do her job. It didn't happen often, but when it did, she liked to focus. Absently petting the cat, Neciel watched the young man quietly.
"Yes, actually. I had a very good.... tailor whip a few things up in case I did not like someone's attire...." moving off towards the end of the ballroom, the captain simply assumes the young man would follow. She had never had to motion people to follow her before, and due to her admittedly poor social graces, she hadn't thought to. Stopping when she reached the wall, the captain reaches out to tap the wall gently. Seeming satisfied, she pushes harder, and a hidden doorway swings open. Stepping inside, she slips behind the door to close it after the young man entered behind her. "Pick what you like. There should be a water basin at the back to wash up, if needed." smirking faintly, she leans against the wall where the door was, clearly visible from this side. It seemed like she was blocking the exit, and clearly keeping control over the situation.
Turning to look at the actual room, there were various racks of clothing; fancy dresses of all colors and styles, as well as formal suits. The captain didn't much care what he chose, as his features and actions were feminine enough to get away with either, and she was briefly reminded of Agito; except Agito wouldn't be caught dead in such ratty clothes. Chuckling quietly to herself at the though, she wonders if the young Strider had noticed the man's clothes.
"He can't be much of a threat if the captain hasn't maimed him yet." the boy points out, answering her unspoken concern. He was speaking his thoughts aloud, hoping to comfort the both of them. Izzy seemed strangely interested in the new arrival, and Agito found himself shooting the other man a mild glare. He was soon out of sight with the captain, and Agito relaxed once more. He knew where the captain was taking him, and so he also knew that the two of them would reappear soon enough. "We can go and talk to him after the captain brings him back." he offers, starting in on his plate of food. "If you'd like." he adds, finishing off a roll.
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Posted: Wed Feb 09, 2011 9:07 pm
Pippa watched the strange man stare at her intently, then she tilted her head in confusion. Did he want her to..? Pet? You want to be petted? Humans are such silly crrrrrrrrrreaturesss, petting doesssss nothing for them... nuzzling on the otherrrrrrrrrrr hand, I can do that... When the Captain spoke for her, she mewed the affirmative and started to purr once more. This was very nice.
"A threat for you is much different than a threat for me... but if you say so..." She smiled lightly adnd started to eat her food, eating breat,c heese and meats together. The food was very nice, and Izzy was going to appreciate every last bit of it. Meaning she was probably going to be hurting later. "If you want to go, I don't mind... I'd like to see what Shrine he is from..."
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Posted: Thu Feb 17, 2011 7:24 am
Hyacinthe almost let out a smile at the mention that the animal just wanted some attention. Yet he did not indulge in rubbing its head or tummy, his eyes looked about the fine features of the short woman who was now leading him through the ballroom. He chuckled ever so slightly at her comment. "I cannot blame you for finding my attire quite inappropriate." he admitted with a straight face. Although he felt the gazes of the other guests upon him, he kept his chin high.
As the secret door opened way to a room, he had to admit that for a second he felt almost like a child discovering secret passages in a castle. He stepped in and did not even blink when the woman closed the door behind them. He was impressed by the collection in front of his eyes. Having been dressed in fine silks since childhood, he knew how to recognize beautiful fabrics and gorgeous clothes. What confused him was that he could only see...women clothes. "That tailor has talent..." he commented.
Between the woman's way of using the secret door and her comment, he was now almost sure that she was no one else but the master of the place. Yet he refused to make a scene. "Thank you very much..." he said to the woman. She did not seem willing to move and that did not bother him. He crossed the room to the water basin while removing his shirt which he laid on the table next to the basin. He scooped some water and splashed his face and torso, then dried himself quickly.
Towel around his neck, he looked at the clothes. At last he noticed with some relief the men's attires, yet his eye had been caught by a beautiful kimono with deep blue clouds and silver hyacinths. It was a furisode with swinging sleeves almost to the knee. The irony made him laugh, as if fate was telling him that he should not fight that part of his past.
The young man looked at Neciel with a strange expression. Did the woman expect him to wear a woman's clothes? He would not want to disappoint. He took the garment with caution and brought it to his eyes.
"How ironic..." he said, almost to himself. "I came to become a man...and here I am...choosing a woman's kimono..." he knew the difference though. Here he was free to choose, hence he was choosing what he was familiar with in order to give himself balance in an unfamiliar environment. At home, it was his duty.
He hanged the kimono to a nod in the wall and removed his pants which he laid with his shirt and his boots which he put under the table. He had been dressed by older women all his life so he was used to a presence when being undressed, but he was a little un-at-ease to be like that in front of a younger and beautiful woman, yet he behaved as if there was no problem. With grace he put on the kimono, which he tied in a unorthodox way by using a male obi of jade tons which he had noticed on a man's kimono, instead of the wide obi matching the female kimono.
With small steps, he walked to the table where he had spotted a comb and used it to straighten his hair. He would have done something with it, but he lacked pins and ornaments, so simple was the best. He turned to face the captain and bowed.
"Is that more appropriate?" he asked softly.
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Posted: Thu Feb 17, 2011 9:03 am
"You are not the first man I know to choose women's clothing." she responded calmly, seeming unfazed by the unfamiliar man changing before her. She averted her gaze slightly, eying the racks of clothes; it was quite obvious that she had prepared to redress everyone. In all honesty, she didn't care what the man wore; it just so happened that Agito had moved his own personal collection of creations here, and he vastly preferred making women's clothes. He could choose what he wanted and, as long as it wasn't terribly clashing, she didn't much care.
She found it almost odd that he seemed almost comfortable changing in front of other people and, had she known the truth, she would have laughed; she was certainly older than any of the women who had dressed him in the past. She wondered what Agito would think of the man's sash with the woman's kimono, as he was also quite partial to the garment, but didn't comment on it. The man would meet Agito soon enough, and should he be bothered by it, he'd mention it; he was much more conversational about clothing than anything else.
"Yes, actually." she responded when he was dressed. She would never get used to the bowing or kneeling people seemed to think was necessary, but she held her tongue and instead raised only an eyebrow. Turning, she twisted the knob and pulled the door open before slipping back out into the bigger room; she waited patiently on the other side of the door so that she could close it once more. Agito shrugged, not seeing any need to worry; no matter what sort of threat he was, the captain would take care of it if notified. He ate quickly, though not so much that it would seem rude. The captain had done a nice job with the food layout, and Agito made a note to thank to chefs later. Glancing back at Izzy a moment, he swallowed what was in his mouth before speaking. "It doesn't matter much to me. It just sounded like you wanted to talk to him..." he dropped off, noticing the captain slipping out from the hidden door. That meant that the young man had, in fact, been forced to change into more fitting attire, and Agito was curious as to what he would appear in. The only thing that the clothes in that room had in common was that they were not plain, nor suitable for everyday wear. At least, not in more people's opinions.
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Krombopulos Michael Captain
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