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 Posted: Thu Aug 07, 2008 8:21 pm
Located on the upper levels of the city, the Centurion Theatre and Ballroom is the main meeting place for social events for those higher up in the social food chain. It is an elegant place, equipped with special devices that can change the appearance of the inside of the ballroom and adjacent dining area at will.
There are also small though ritzy hotel rooms rented only to those willing to pay the high price.
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Posted: Sun Aug 24, 2008 7:08 pm
Lorelee had left early from her previous shift at the Stargazer. She knew after having the little incident, Heany didn't want to see her anymore, and he would simply dock her paycheck for it. They both knew he was too short-staffed to get rid of her, so she took the chance.
In this place of finery and splendor, she felt more at ease. Everywhere there was a dream of hers poking out from the dark velvets and shimmering crystal chandeliers. Even though Lorelee knew she could never rise to such social heights, it was better to watch and observe than be a part of this scene. Even her dreaming eyes could see the back-stabbing and sweet-talking going on in every room and dance. But, regardless of the dishonesty there, she also knew that it existed anywhere. What was worse about this ballroom and theatre was the money, which she acknowledged could very well ruin your life.
"A beautiful day, isn't it?" Lorelee looked up from her sweeping of the kitchen area to see Damian, the manager, until the true manager, who was also his father, came back from a business holiday.
"Yes," she replied calmly. Damian had an awful habit of trying to make small-talk before trying to get her to come away with him. this day of all days, he was more cat-like. Or perhaps it was serpentine. Lorelee could never tell the difference with him.
"So why not put down the broom and come away with me to the roof? We could observe the marvels of the city, sip wine, and then rest for a bit on the lounger." It was a poorly masked invitation for 'lounging.' Placing her broom on the wall and reaching for the dust pan, Lorelee shook her head.
"No, Damian. Not today, not tomorrow, and not while I'm still on this planet." Absently, she swept the dust from the floor into her pan. It mocked her, wanting to be tossed in the face of the prat.
"Ah, why so cold?" he said dramatically. "I'll take you away, then. Name the world, and it shall be yours."
"So you can dump me there conveniently?" Lorelee scoffed. "No. Please, prey on the guests in the lobby, Damian, you know I'm busy." And in a truly cold manner, Lorelee threw out her dust in the garbage, and left him seething in the kitchen.
Always the same, she thought. He alone was the only insurmountable pitfall of working in such a beautiful place.
Unfortunately, Lorelee had no idea she had just struck the final nerve with Damian. the wheels were already turning in his malicious mind, concocting the perfect solution to what to him seemed like a bratty, righteous problem.
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Posted: Sun Aug 24, 2008 7:15 pm
((wall of text time!))
Lorelee had been summoned to the manager's office. It was an odd thing, as this usually happened when an employee was going to be given good news or simply told to leave. Lorelee had done nothing wrong against the code, and so never saw anything coming. Once inside, she saw Damian leaning back in his father's chair, looking as smug as ever.
“I’m afraid the work you’ve been doing is not quite up to my expectations,” he purred, spinning the slosh of expensive wine in it’s glass. “I’ve notified your other employers of your failure here, and have directed them to take the same precautions I am. That is to say, you have been excused from your line of work in this establishment as well as any other professional business.” His feral gaze bore into her own dumbfounded expression.
“But... you can’t do that.” It was a weak response, yet Lorelee knew in her heart nothing could be done. She had been tossed out like the rubbish she cleaned out of bins.
“I’m so sorry to inform you that I can indeed.” Damian set his glass down to take a more professional stance in his chair. Lorelee wished she could look as relaxed and nonchalant about the situation as he did. “One must make decisions for the betterment of all when one has the power to do so. And, seeing how you possess an innate inability to disobey directions and take flights of fancy, I saw to it that no other employer may have their precious time wasted with such a worthless cause.” Again the cat-like eyes cruised over her features to relish her mounting anxiety. Damian had a knack for dismissing people, but never before had he taken such pride in it.
“Do take her away,” he said with an absent wave of his hand, though his eyes betrayed his seeming indifference to her. They burned with satisfaction in knowing he was at risk of ruining her comfort, or at most her life itself by excusing her from the position.
“No, please!” she called out to him as the two security guards came towards her apprehensively. Even they saw flaw in this situation, yet for the sake of their own jobs, did not protest. “I promise, it won’t happen again,” Lorelee pleaded, but Damian offered no remorse in his decision. Soon enough she found herself flanked by the two guards and being ushered outside. Finally, after years of abuse from people she barely knew, who she cleaned up after, who she stooped to such lows for, Lorelee began to retaliate. “How could you do this to me?” she cried. Her advance towards Damian caused the guards to grasp both arms with a mechanical obedience. Lorelee’s protests grew a bit more frantic as she once again tried to rush towards him, yet the more she tried, the further she found herself being dragged.
“Throw her out, and please, take the command literally.” Damian spun around in his chair after the aloof command had been given. Lorelee fought against the two men as she stared daggers into the back of the plush chair, begging within her heart that they would merely escort her off the premises.
It was a vain hope.
Once to the back door where the loading docks were, they promptly threw her quite far out into the back lot. Lorelee fell at least two feet before hitting the pavement with a skidding roll. Her exposed elbows were skinned, a burning pain that stretched down her right arm.
At first, the idea that she had indeed been thrown out hadn’t occurred to her. Instead, the flooding thoughts of being evicted from her apartment, of being unemployed altogether, and being barred from all chances of rectifying that last situation because of Damian’s power skittered around. The anxiety passed, though, with the pain she was finding on her knees and arms. Lorelee felt broken, like an egg that slipped from the counter. Her life had finally taken, what seemed to her, a turn for the worse. No job. No hope for another in her field. No money to gain a better education, or to take care of herself properly. Tears began to form in her eyes as she pulled herself upright, arms held tight around her though they stung.
“What will I do?” she whispered to the air hanging around in a misty fashion. “What will I do?” And so, alone, hurt, and utterly forlorn, Lorelee cried for the first time in years in the back lot of the ballroom as affluent citizens and travelers alike enjoyed their fineries, completely unaware of the pain they were so close to.
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Posted: Sun Aug 24, 2008 8:00 pm
Richard and Enty found out where Lorelee worked when she wasn't at the hotel and were heading there now. Richard had kept pretty quiet the whole way, making Enty worry. Though his silence was broken when he spotted Lorelee being pursued by a sleaze of a man. He smirked when she turned him down, continuing her work. They were about to approach her when she was called ot the managers office. Curious, Enty and Richard followed her, listening to the arguing from outside the door. Out of nowhere it seemed, Lorelee was being dragged from the office, before being violently thrown into the streets. Richard took off after her while Enty growled at the security guards within the building. Richard found her among the dirt and grime, crying her eyes out. Suddenly worried, as he knelt down to comfort her. He rested his hand on her back and tried his best to soothe her. "Sh...shh, it's alright, It's alright..." he repeated over and over, trying to get her to calm down.
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- Pocket Full of Ashes - Crew
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Posted: Sun Aug 24, 2008 8:09 pm
Lorelee couldn't really be consoled. Regardless of where he had suddenly come from, she confided in him the entirety of the situation.
"No it's not!" She sobbed. "Now I don't even have a job, I won't be able to get another one, and I just got my water shut off, and tomorrow's rent! I'll be evicted when I can't pay up, and have no place to go." It only made it worse that she thought of her mother, looking on from wherever she was, and being utterly helpless.
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Posted: Sun Aug 24, 2008 8:23 pm
Richard furrowed his brow. He felt a strange compassion for this young woman that he hadn't felt in years. She seemed so scared and fragile, he wasn't sure of what to do except what he used to do for Rose. Awkwardly, but surely, he made her face him before pulling her close, trying to embrace her, all the while stroking her head, down to her back. "Who ever fired you isn't going to get away with this, you believe me....As for your financial problems, we can help...It'll all work out...I promise..." He cooed as he rocked her gently.
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- Pocket Full of Ashes - Crew
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Posted: Sun Aug 24, 2008 8:28 pm
Her face lit up like a candle, cheeks red and eyes wide from surprise. It hurt a bit to be held, since she had skinned her arms and elbows when falling, but Lorelee couldn't pull away just then. The last person to hold her like that or care about her at all was her mom.
"I'm just a slum girl," she murmured. "Things don't work out financially." Slowly she began to pull away from his embrace, feeling she didn't deserve such kindness from a stranger. At the rate of the day, it was becoming a fact, to her at least, that she didn't deserve anything.
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Posted: Sun Aug 24, 2008 8:37 pm
Richard loosened his grip, finally noticing the scrapes on her harms. "You're hurt..." he said quietly, examining her carefully. He furrowed his brow. "No one deserves to be treated like this....ecspecially...someone like you...." he added softly, getting his first long look at her. After studying her features for a moment, he stood, angry. "Were is that son of a-" Before he could finish swearing his vengeance, another person came flying out the back door into the streets, followed by a furry ball of rage. Richard picked up the man roughly by the collar, realizing it was the sleaze ball who threw her out here. "You think it's funny to throw people around?" He asked as the small man shook. In one swift movement, Richard threw him against the wall hard and got in this face. "Don't you EVER lay a hand on Lorelee again you hear me!?" He screamed in his face, debating on whether or not to beat some sense into him.
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- Pocket Full of Ashes - Crew
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Posted: Sun Aug 24, 2008 8:41 pm
Damian sneered right into his face. To Lorelee, though he didn't look at her, he said, "I see you have friends in low places."
Lorelee still sat in her place, utterly dumbfounded that this man and his little creature were so vehemently fighting for her rights. No one had done that. She barely even did it herself.
"Richard..." she said very quietly. She didn't want to see Damian beaten to a pulp, though it was what he deserved.
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Posted: Mon Aug 25, 2008 3:57 am
Richard was about to give this guy the beating of his life, until Lorelee uttered his name. "You're lucky I don't kill you now..." He said quietly as he dropped him roughly and pushed him back. Enty jumped over and poked Lorelee as if to ask if she were alright.
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- Pocket Full of Ashes - Crew
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Posted: Mon Aug 25, 2008 12:17 pm
"Get off the property before I call the police," Damian growled, still the cocky one even in the most dire situations.
Lorelee, hearing this, nodded to Enty with a small smile and rose to her feet rather shakily. "I'm fine. Let's go, please." The look she gave Damian was the most somber, pained expression that even pierced his cold heart.
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Posted: Mon Aug 25, 2008 12:27 pm
Richard agreed to Lorelee's decision but not before giving Damian a rough shove before coming up behind her. "Should we get you a doctor?" He asked, concerned. "I don't want that getting infected..." He added, gently taking a hold of her arm. Enty seemed to nod in agreement, seeming concerned as well.
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- Pocket Full of Ashes - Crew
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Posted: Mon Aug 25, 2008 12:40 pm
"No..." Once again, she blushed terribly at all the attention. "It's just a scrape or two. It's not serious..." Lorelee allowed Richard to hold her arm, especially if it meant he wouldn't beat Damian. "If you know anyplace we could go that's safe, please..." she whispered to him.
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Posted: Mon Aug 25, 2008 12:51 pm
Richard seemed to think for a moment. "We need to get you cleaned up...and it looks like you could use something to warm and cheer you up as well...is there a bar around here?" He asked, not really knowing the area well.
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- Pocket Full of Ashes - Crew
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Posted: Mon Aug 25, 2008 12:54 pm
"I think there's a cafe, but I couldn't go out looking like this..." Lorelee tugged at her torn sleeve and worn, slightly dirty clothes. She was an embarrassment to herself, and so made it a habit to never go out. Not that she ever had the money to do so.
Damian, meanwhile, was watching them with eyes like daggers, thinking of he should indeed go against the adonis of a man. His battered body advised against it.
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