|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Kain M ShZual Vice Captain
|
 Posted: Sun Mar 30, 2008 11:18 pm
[]†[] Stage is set. []†[]
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Mon Mar 31, 2008 12:40 am
{ lmao...I can't believe you made that the title. }
Draega shivered as a cold wind swept down her small street. She hadn't had enough time to grab her coat on the way out the door and her short, light-blue, summer dress did little to help keep out the cold. Though earlier it was the heat of her anger that had kept her warm through those cold hours she had spent making sure her position was well covered now it had dissipated, leaving only a feeling of first-date jitters, and general deeper worries behind.
She fingered the small silver circlet around her wrist, her first gift from a friend. That one she had run into so many years ago. It was nervous habit she had adopted every time goosebumps ran up her arms and she was too stubborn to rub them away. She turned to stare up at the ornamental sign that proclaimed the name of her neighbors Thai restaurant. The River Kwai...a name, she had learned, that had been passed down from an old restaurant on Earth. It was a quaint little place and it suited her needs for the night. Shivering again as yet another cool wind swept by Draega reluctant turned to her watch to check the time.
" Eight o'clock. Well Feign ...if that's your real name...I hope you show up on time...or else I might be frozen by the time you show up." she muttered to herself in slight irritation. She honestly considered giving up just a few minutes in order to run back into her house and grab her jacket...even worse she pondered whether this had been a good idea in the first place. She desperately shoved that thought away however. She had to do this...if she wanted to drive away the suspicion...if she wanted to keep on spying for the Faction. Then this was simply something she would have to do.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Kain M ShZual Vice Captain
|
Posted: Mon Mar 31, 2008 1:53 am
All right, so he'd be a little late. 8:02 on the dot. This time he had leisurewear on, now sporting a simple white long sleeve shirt that seemed to fit his semi-toned form perfectly and black cargo pants. And, something she lacked: A great big black trench coat. He'd take notice of her and her freezing state and seem to simply appear behind her, putting his trench over her shoulders.
"Sorry I'm late, I got a little caught up in making myself look and smell decent. Again: Really haven't had a reason to for a decent amount of time now. But enough of my excuses, let's get you inside where it's warm. I don't know about you, but I'm starving." He'd then pat a bit below the arm of the trench, letting her feel the envelope against whatever the hell he may of pressed it against upon her form.
"Take a look at the files after I make a big of myself and you hopefully do the same. Please remember it's my treat." And like the gentlemen he truly was, he'd hold the door to the restaurant open for her and issue her a bow waiting for her to take the lead.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Mon Mar 31, 2008 10:07 am
Draega had to force herself not to jump as she felt the warm and large black trench coat drop onto her shoulders. She turned to stare at him with curious and wary eyes as he patted just below the arm of the coat, pressing the envelope against her arm and hip. She smiled hesitantly a small and suspicious one, but a smile none the less. She followed him to the door and nodded a bit in thanks. "I didn't even notice by the way. That you were late." she said with a bit of a playful smirk before slipping into the restaurant where she was immediately greeted by the rich reds, golds, greens, and deep blues of the River Kwai.
There were a few tables out on the floor, candle-lit as the place was dark-enough to be considered a haven for vampires. The tables, however were not what Draega was interested in, instead her eyes swept to the booths which had a bit of better lighting and heavy drapes that could be closed should one need or want of privacy. She quickly took note of the few others gathered at tables. An elderly couple sat at a table near the bar apparently celebrating some sort of anniversary. There were three different sets of dating couples two in the booths one at a table near the front. There was also one large party of five who appeared to be the group of office-workers who lived along her street. It was perfect, loud enough that anything said would not be able to reach a nearby table, and quiet enough so that they could easily hear each other.
For a moment she thought about what it might have been like if this were really a date. The idea nearly made her laugh. She was interrupted as a small, young dark-haired girl came to ask them for how many in their party and if they'd like a booth. Draega swept her eyes once over Feign before smiling in a secretive manner to the hostess. "Two..and a booth would be lovely please."
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Kain M ShZual Vice Captain
|
Posted: Mon Mar 31, 2008 6:33 pm
He'd follow a few feet behind her, arms folded and ready for the little date. He'd begin by taking "inventory" on every person aside from Draega and himself occupying the restaurant. And elderly couple...the pupils of his eyes would seem to adjust a bit by dilating. They were no threat, they'd never even notice they'd come in. He'd take in the three different couples, listening in on their conversations for a moment before chuckling slightly to himself. They were so caught up in one another they'd never notice anything short of gunfire. And finally the party...hell, he didn't need his eyes for this one, he knew these insects were either self-absorbed in the sense each would in the end keep trying to boast their accomplishments in life louder than the next. It was perfect.
Shortly thereafter he'd see their hostess. she could potentially be a threat, but he knew how to keep her at bay with any luck. Besides, an unfortunate accident could befall her at any point should something happen. The idea make his lips part in to one hell of a grin for another 0.60. This was getting annoying...keeping these personalities separate was beginning to wear on him. Still, he was in far too deep for the night to leave. He'd listen to his "date" and smile. She knew just wear to sit.
Once in his seat he'd close his eyes, take a deep breath, and exhale slowly. He was right where he wanted to be for the moment, and so long as she didn't try to peek at the contents of the envelope earlier than he'd asked then all would be well and with any luck stars would illuminate her face. But, he was the wishful thinker, or rather Kain turned him in to one.
"All right, so you seem to know this place. What do you suggest? And uh...between you n' me: Is the watter here like, filtered and such? I'm parched, and in need of something without caffeine or foreign ingredients to down..." He'd ask with a bit of a strange tone to his voice, kind of feeling like an idiot for asking.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Mon Mar 31, 2008 8:11 pm
Draega shrugged off his jacket as they entered the booth and although she took a menu from their waitress she didn't look at it. She had watched him, seen the same way he had surveyed the restaurant she had. For a second she had even thought she had seen a wicked sort of smile cross his face, however she simply took note of it and tucked it away for later analysis. She stared at him as he spoke with a calm and sort of playful smile, though it too held nearly a wicked sort of tone. Not that she cared...a smile could mean a million things and a woman acted differently outside of the workplace no matter who she was.
"They offer a variety of bottle waters including mineral water if you prefer." she told him with a mocking sort of smirk. As their waitress returned Draega smiled pleasantly and listed off her order, " We'll take a bottle of Pinot Noir with dinner, a glass of bottled water each until then, you know which one I like Hannah. We'll start off with the Hanaang Soup and then I'll have the Masaman curry with veal please, and we'll both have your vegetable plate." Hannah nodded briefly and wrote it all down before crossing her arms and turning to Draega with much the same expression that the white-blonde secretary gave her.
"And your date's dinner Miss?" the waitress asked. Draega closed her eyes and gave a brief wave of her hand. "I can't decide that for him. He'll most likely need a minute. Oh, and this is a curtain's closed dinner Hannah." Draega added with a secretive sort of smile and a slight blush to her cheeks which had the waitress smiling like a co-cospirator or good girlfriend might. "Alright then Drae. I'll set it up for you and return in a bit for the boy's order." she nodded briefly before stepping away from the booth and closing the curtains, cutting Draega and her 'date' off from the rest of the restaurant.
Draega turned to Feign with sly sort of smile, "Sorry if I made too many decisions for you. But it's best if you know good." She told him, only a hint of apology to her voice.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Kain M ShZual Vice Captain
|
Posted: Tue Apr 01, 2008 12:45 am
He'd snag a menu and look it over, quickly reading everything over, then for once, act normal by becoming indecisive. He'd listen to her order so many things he could devour in a second...or would have in the past. kinda made him sad and made his stomach growl. He'd list the menu and look down to his guliver, then look up to her as she apologized to him.
"Don't be. I'd of cut you off if I didn't agree." He'd smirk a bit, then look back the menu. He'd finally lock his eyes on to one item...close his eyes, clap his hands together, folding the menu in the process and nod his head and with a bit of a triumphant echo in his voice exclaim: "Goong Gah Tiem!" He'd then look around with a bit of red showing itself in his cheeks as he'd gently set the menu down. "Sorry about that..."
He'd let out another light sigh and close his eyes, getting comfy in the booth before looking around. "So what made you wanna come here? Food...prices...atmosphere?" He'd wouldn't look to her, simply asking her a question that intrigued him a bit, but once again the answer would tell him all he needed to know no matter what she answered with. Were all dates this fun?
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Tue Apr 01, 2008 2:43 pm
Draega smiled at his exclamation and merely allowed herself to relax into the booth a bit more. Hannah returned briefly to give them their drinks and Draega told her even more briefly of Feign's order before the waitress disappeared once more. The quiet of the booth was calming but it also hinted at the tension that only Draega seemed to be aware of. She couldn't quite tell if this tension was merely sexual, or something much more dangerous. She opted for a mixture of the two and allowed her smile to remain in it's slightly playful yet still wary way.
At his question came to her Draega laughed quietly and raised her glass of water to her lips, she stared at him over the rim of the glass as if trying to examine just what her answer would mean to him, though her lips spoke of amusement. "I thought the answer to that was obvious. This place is literally right next door to my place. Makes for light and easy travel...and I can never be late." her tone was one of complete sincerity though there were many other reasons for her decision the fact that it was next door was almost always the main one.
At last she took a sip from her glass before setting it down again. "And what about you? What do you do when you're not attempting to catch spies within HEC?"
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Kain M ShZual Vice Captain
|
Posted: Tue Apr 01, 2008 10:13 pm
He had his answer. In the back of his mind Kain would smirk, trying not to show any facial expression through Feign. He'd stare at the water for a moment, picking it up and examining it very carefully, speaking slowly and clearly as he did. "I run errands for people and make deals behind the back of Eleck. Aside from that, I prefer to watch movies and eat frozen yogurt. It's more of eventful life than it sounds like...especially when you're out looking for Micah..."
He'd take a sip of the water, swish it around in his mouth, then begin to rudely gulp it all down and let out a sigh. He'd smile and then fail to catch himself starring at her water. "I prefer to do as little work as possible, only enough to pay for what I need and enough to get me buy to pay for things like this, but nothing large enough to catch anyone's eye. I spend a certain amount per week and per month to make sure my account shows slight fluctuation to further reduce any suspicion of anything and I cover every angle of my paper trails. I make sure to buy things a normal person would. Recently I decided a new TV would fit well in the house. I keep nothing of importance in the house, but rather hidden in various places that I don't care to mention quite yet. I've a car, a o1 Honda Accord, nothing big or fancy to again make me look average. I own the house...main floor and a basement. Renting a home in this day and age draws too much attention, and finally I have a dog that barks at passing children." He'd finally remove his eyes from the water and instead gaze in to her own irises. "I think that could cover just about an question you could ask me, so now that I'm out of the way, please tell me all about yourself.
He'd already deduced this place wasn't normal, but he didn't feel speaking up about it was necessary. She probably already knew he was on to her and it wouldn't really matter if she did or didn't. He'd already proved he could figure things out in an instant, so furthering such abilities would only be self-absorbed egotism. Besides, if there were a tap, he wouldn't want to do what would need to be done to cover his tracks...given he was growing to like this girl, which was VERY dangerous, but at the same time, it was giving him a feeling he'd been searching for. He also found himself craving more water.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Tue Apr 01, 2008 10:46 pm
Draega's eyes remained light through the mention of Micah, though her heart squeezed in her chest. She listened to his long self-explanation with eyes full of curiosity and appreciation only one spy could show to another. He was good, oh she had known that already, but she had to hand it to him, he knew had to what he wanted. They were unlike in this way as Draega never really knew what she wanted other than gathering information that would help the Faction. Mostly she sat back and waited patiently for things to cross her path, like a serpent waiting in ambush. The analogy displeased her.
She took another drink from her glass before sitting it down and propping her hands up on the table, resting her chin upon them with a small sort of wondering smile. "My two bed-room town house next door was purchased by my family when I was five for my grandmother. She never liked it though...spent the last few years of her life at a beach house if I remember correctly. So when I turned seventeen I took the house for myself. My family was glad enough to be rid of me. I then took up a small part-time job in HEC..a job my elder sister secured for me only because she thought it would look generous of her. After two years of steady work and several more hours of overtime I came to the position I have now." She chuckled and leaned back into the booth once more. The laugh was a bit hollow though and interrupted as Hannah arrived with their soup and to refill their glasses.
Draega waited patiently for her to leave before she continued. " I often splurge on music and sweets more than I should and I spend a great deal of my free time practicing my violin when I'm not doing other sorts of work that is. I prefer to fly so I don't own a car. My family provides me with a driver if I need to travel out of town. I don't own any animals but I have a very expensive alarm system that I set up myself. I have a photographic memory and no paper trail as my ...client...has complete trust in me. And once more I shall ask you...who in the world is this Micah you keep speaking of?" She ended with a mere curious look though there was a dangerous hint behind her eye.
She tasted her soup as she waited for his reply, making no sound due to years of perfect etiquette training. The fact was that she asked that question to herself often as well. True she knew him...trusted him...would have died for him...but she knew very little of who Micah truly was. Her mind whirled and no doubt it must have seemed to any outsider that she was trying to analyze just who Micah might be...for her mind seemed plagued by that question.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Kain M ShZual Vice Captain
|
Posted: Tue Apr 01, 2008 11:16 pm
He'd stare at the girl as she refilled his glass before picking it up by the rim of the glass and again thoroughly inspecting it while talking to her in a warm tone in his semi-deep voice.
"A photographic memory...you only needed to get somewhere where you could simply look at the documents and play the tape if you so wished...yes, that all makes a bit more sense now. Still, I have to wonder how you came to be a spy with your kind of upbringing...though yours seems one that lacked love and compassion short of a job, though the job is what will lead you to what you want in the end, or so you like to think to help you sleep at night, when in reality..." He'd keep moving his head a bit to examine the water, then begin to twist his thumb and index fingers to twist the glass. "...you don't really know what it is you want. If I'm wrong, then please feel free to stop me and correct me."
He'd move the glass from his view for a moment, looking to her with a warm smile before pulling the water to his nose, then looking in to it. He was picky as hell about what condition the liquid that went in to his body was in. "As for Micah...he was, and possibly still is the leader of the remnants of the Faction. I believe you know him to some extent...more than what you're putting out, but hide it if you want. To answer a future question: I want to meet him to question him and see what his reasons for creating the Faction were and what he thought he'd do...if he thought he was a protagonist in a story with the Corporation being the antagonist, or if there's anything deeper than that." He'd finally take a small sip of the water and set it down the same way he'd picked it up.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Tue Apr 01, 2008 11:44 pm
Dreaga regarded him for a moment before tasting her soup a few more times. At last she set her spoon down and studied not him but the candlelight flickering from the small red lamp hanging low over their heads. "There's not much to correct..." She said after awhile her eyes reflecting the fractured light of stained-glass of the lamp, like lightning against her deep blue eyes. "Saying I'd grown up without love or compassion is putting it lightly however...and I suppose it's because of my childhood that I chose to do what it is that I do. I wanted the freedom of being away from them to do what I wanted. To befriend who I wanted...be what I wanted. Though I've never had a clear idea about any of those things." She looked down to the small silver circlet around her wrist then and a wistful smile bloomed upon her face.
"The only moment in my life that I ever understood who I truly was was when I was ten and for three brief months I had a friend who made me feel like I was worth something." She shook her head forever, forgetting that piece of her past she had told no one...not even Micah. She turned instead to smile in a sweet, sincere, and somewhat sly way. Her eyes shine brightly as she laughed, "And to answer a future question: no...that friend was not Micah. In fact...who it was I've never said...to anyone...and I probably never will."
Her smile became dark then as her eyes noticed his unmoved spoon. "And becoming a spy is quite easy if you're intelligent and have the necessary tools ground into you from an early age. Silence, acting, distancing yourself from others, memory, data reading...and the most important thing by far...how to exploit those around you.." This was, perhaps, the only portion of her self that she accepted as a member of the Newfame family. Everything else she had rejected, but her family's sinister ways were hard to get rid of, and they clung to her personality as hard as she tried to prove to herself that that wasn't who she was.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Kain M ShZual Vice Captain
|
Posted: Wed Apr 02, 2008 12:10 am
"I see. So at a young age you had at least comfort on your side where as now...you just search for your purpose." He'd chuckle a bit and look to the soup. He'd study it for a moment, picking the spoon up with the thumb and index finger again and studying it's condition. "What do you think of the idea that we have no purpose, no Fate, no Destiny, and that instead we're just supposed to do as we want in life? We're supposed to just do what our hearts and minds guide us to do and nothing more?" He'd begin to stir his soup a bit, watching the ebbs the spoon made. "It's like those born in to poverty and those born in to high-class. We can't help where we're born, but each takes the cards their dealt and does as they please with them. If someone should happen to become part of something grand, like say Eleck or Micah, it's only from that same coincidence. It's all in how they dealt their own cards. Elck chose to create that monument to the human stain and Micah chose to rally those against him in a pathetic effort to bring down a tyrant who now had not only his own cards to deal but an entire civilizations."
He'd take a spoonful of soup to his lips...this could end in so many ways. He'd take the sip in, enjoy the taste, then take a drink of water. Such a small amount wouldn't upset his system, though too many little spoonfuls would. She'd take notice if he spit it anywhere or kept running to the bathroom, so his only choice was to eat, force himself to endure the pain and hope his body could hold it until one, perhaps two timed bathroom trips. A small plan now in mind he'd take a few more spoonfuls in and smile. At least one sense would be satisfied. He'd even begin to play with the soup, slurping it like a child might just to enjoy the noise all the while never using more than his index finger and thumb to sip. when one doesn't eat for so long, then tend to make the most out of it when they can.
"I don't like the idea of simple titles, in reference to our names...usually our last names, given we seem to be grouped in to civilization according to the ranking of our heritage, ruling our lives. We as individuals ought to be free to choose our names, every peace, first middle and last. In this way, would could symbolize that we make our own destinies and that the chains of Fate don't bind us to anything more than what we choose...but given this is not the case, we tend to live our lives with some idea there's a pre-set path we must go on guided by our names. The lucky ones in this world are the ones who's names are forgotten, thus allowing them to shed free their shackles and take new flight as they so wish, and those that do choose their names, like a child casting his childhood aside and evolving in to an adult by having his names legally changed during his teenager years." He'd then take another sip of soup and look up to Draega...then keep on sipping while starring. Etiquette was something Kain, thus Feign didn't know so well when it came to food.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Wed Apr 02, 2008 12:35 am
Draega let out a humorous breath her eyes turning somewhat misty but respectful. She smiled almost sympathetically and once again lifted her glass to her lips. "I take it you haven't had very many run-ins with romantics then have you?" She shook her head, as if slightly ashamed of him though her smile remained humorous as she once more lifted her spoon to her lips. She studied the milky texture of the soup as she elaborated on her thought, "I find it very hard for a person not to believe in fate. After all there's so little in life that we can really control. Just as there was no way for me to control being born with the appearance of a demon to a house of appearance obsessed tycoons."
She took a long moment to finish off her spoonful before leaning back in the booth, her hands pressing against her seat at her sides. "It's more along the lines of dealing with what fate has handed you. I believe you see fate as the ancient Greeks of Earth did. That it is finite and inescapable...in truth fate is more like the handed to you..after all one person does not react the same way when faced with the same odds. To those who think of Fate in the more classical sense fate is what is inevitable because it was destined by some sort of higher power...god if you will."
She gave a wave of her hand as she said this last piece, smiling as she did so. "However, I like to think that Fate are the tools we are handed, sometimes at birth, sometimes out of circumstances that are out of our control, since we do not have absolute control over our environment. What we decide to do tools..these situations...is our decision. Not our Fate. Of course... I am told I am a romantic and am much too naiive to see the world for what it is." She chuckled at this as well crossed her legs beneath the table, accidentally brushing against Feign's leg as she did, shocking herself when a rush of heat spread across her cheeks.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Kain M ShZual Vice Captain
|
Posted: Wed Apr 02, 2008 1:05 am
"I've conspired with my share of romantics and linked myself to a couple." He'd take another slurp of soup, though stop dead when he felt her against him for that slight moment. His eyes would instantly travel from the spoon up to her...and then he'd slurp up the rest of the soup.
"The is what it is, but at the same time it's so many different things. Just as there's a strict me, as in who I am, there are several others. There's the me I consider myself to be, the me that you see, and the me that everyone else sees me as. The world is the same...it's however we each see it. There are facts to the world, yes, but our minds determine what it is to each of use...it's ignorance of these facts that hinder us from forming a world in our minds suitable to us." He'd then grab the glass and sip a bit more water before setting it down and simultaneously lifting another spoonful of soup to his lips and slurping.
"What you say...makes sense. And it's rare I tell anyone they make sense because they never do when it comes to such intellectual matters, but given I'm dealing with another intellectual person I shouldn't be surprised. Tell me, what do you think of the world's Fate? It as it's own entity, like us, must have it's own Fate. To me, the Fate of the world rests in the hand of the one with the most influence...that having been he who lead H.E.C. when Earth was brought to it's end, and now Eleck who has this planet under his control. We control this world like puppets, or rather he does. Doesn't that mean he's in control of the Fate of each of us as well, given we're nothing but destined to oblivion without this planet?" He'd again multi-task by sipping water right before slurping soup and starring at her all the while.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Reply
