|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
 Posted: Tue Oct 18, 2011 2:38 pm
((guy, rosie, izumi, jerome, sera, dith, shizou and anyone else xD ))
The little group had grown and grown again. Luckily some didn't seem to know others so Charlotte could listen to their introductions, but it was still a tad confusing with all the names. Another member was added to the cluster as a man Rosie identified as Dith came over after seeing her waving. But, Charlotte couldn't complain they all seemed at least relatively friendly.
Only at Rosie's remark did Charlotte notice Jerome's blackened eyes. She could tell that some others in the group didn't see black eyes...appealing, namely Sera, but Charlotte had nothing against them she actually thought they looked pretty cool. Despite finding the black eyes intriguing she couldn't help but wince when he explained how ink was injected into them. She wasn't specialized as a swordsman but had taken up fencing and knew how to fight, though she rarely did, and would have liked to say she had relatively high tolerence for pain (which could be good or bad and as her brother once told her it was only a few steps away from being numb) but needles...they held a special spot for her, of hatred that is. Plus in the eyes sounded like one of the worst and most painful places to have a needle stuck.
Charlotte felt bad about her immediate physical reaction and decided to ask "I think the ink looks intersting but didn't it hurt alot?" she attempted to not bother anyone with her question hopefully Jerome wouldn't take interesting as a bad thing because it was meant as a compliment, "I mean it looks cool but was it worth it? painwise that is" she attempted to edit herself.
|
 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Tue Oct 18, 2011 3:12 pm
(@Asch, Izaya)
Having arrived at the costume room soon enough to see Izaya offer the bejeweled mask to her partner, Aila had held onto it, especially once it became clear that Asch had no intent to make use of it. When the redhead was situated and ready to rejoin the floor, she held up the accessory indicatively, "Je vais retourner ce." Excusing herself thus, she went in search of the mask's owner. He wasn't still in the costume room - of course, that would be too simple - and the floor was a regular mess of attendees. Fortunately, though, they were all dressed very distinctly; even those with similar costume themes had gone for different styles. She called up a mental image of the other Rocket as she recalled seeing him none too long ago, if not briefly, and started in search of him. It took her some time, given that 1.) she had expected to find him mingling amidst the other partygoers and 2.) he had changed his appearance. He'd also found a new mask, it seemed. She frowned faintly. Inconvenient.
"Vous avez trouvé autre-- Mm." The language stuck to her words like honey, and she consciously shifted into another tongue. "I suppose you don't need this, then?" All that and she would have to go right back to where she'd started anyway. "Not joining in?" She wouldn't have expected him to willingly sit out of such a social event willingly, knowing what she did of him.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Tue Oct 18, 2011 3:41 pm
Startled at the use of French, the Human-Lover looked over as Aila swiftly transitioned from one language to another. He was surprised to see her until he noticed the mask in her hand. The melancholy hero accepted it and went back to staring at the trainers. It was thoughtful of her to try to come find him to return it, and he didn't want her to have to go all the way back as a reward for her trouble. Besides, who knew when he would need a spare?
"Can't," he said, smiling weakly. "People don't exactly have the same fondness for me that I do for them. Or did you not know this?" He waved his old mask in Aila's face playfully, as if to tickle her nose. "What about you? Shouldn't you at least be tending to your date?" If one was paying particular attention, they might have caught the trace of jealousy in his tone.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Tue Oct 18, 2011 4:31 pm
(@Izaya)
She was vaguely surprised when he took the mask nonetheless, but she didn't dwell on it. Who knew what plans he had in store for it, or plans yet to be conceived.
"Well," she leaned against one of the table's unoccupied chairs, "I can't say that's surprising to hear, but when has it ever stopped you before?" She drew back slightly from the mask, mostly instinctively. "Did I have a date?" she answered with a genuine undertone of confusion. The jealousy went unnoticed, but she did catch the unmistakeable sense of melancholy pervading his person. This was an odd and somewhat disconcerting change from his usual disposition. "Is something wrong?"
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Tue Oct 18, 2011 4:40 pm
The hero-gone-heroine smirked. "Good point. Trust me, though; this time I have a reason. A very good one." There was no humor or mirth in his expression, and the smirk was soon replaced by a stoic look as he turned to address her face-to-face. "That lovely red-head you were with. Isn't she your date? I trust the initial danger is over." He pulled out the chair at the table beside him. "Ready to explain what that was all about?"
Even as he spoke, he kept a watch on the trainers with his peripheral vision. Aila startled him with her perceptiveness as she asked a new question. "Wrong?" he repeated blankly, not sure how to reply to that. No; not at the moment, anyway. Someone wants to kill me and he's less than ten feet away. Also, he could potentially throw a fit and put us all in danger, innocents and Rockets alike. Did I mention he hates my guts? Oh, and he's surrounded by friends, as if to rub it in my face, that stupid protozoan. "No, nothing's wrong. Why do you ask?" Cue concealing smile.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Tue Oct 18, 2011 4:54 pm
(@Izaya)
She waved her hand briefly to dismiss the assumption and took the offered seat, "No, that was my partner. You met him briefly, I think, when you hosted the gathering in Camphoreon." If 'hosted' or 'gathering' were the right words. "I apologize for being so abrupt. He was rather distressed at the time, and I worried he might turn to violence if you bothered him much in that state..." Asch was, after all, terribly quick to anger when pressed about the wrong topics or while in the wrong mood.
She watched carefully as he responded, curious and faintly confused. "For one thing, as I mentioned, being disliked doesn't usually keep you from interacting with others. Sitting to a side by yourself is wholly unlike you. Would you be more forthcoming if I said it was worrying?" She couldn't pin down at the moment why that was so, but then she wasn't really trying to. The aim at the moment was to pinpoint why he was being worrying in the first place.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Tue Oct 18, 2011 5:18 pm
"I figured as much," the grunt murmured. "Couldn't imagine you and Faleen helping out a fellow girl in such a way. Also, the red hair and deep voice confirmed my suspicions. Even back at that party at the karaoke bar, he was very protective of you, though he wouldn't say why. It makes sense now."
He nodded slowly, wondering if he should have gotten a drink while he had still been up. "I could tell. About the distress, I mean. That's why I backed off; for your sake. It wasn't as though I was going to tease him about such a trivial thing; after all, cross-dressing doesn't mean much to me." He played with a lock of his wig's hair idly.
"It was why he was distressed that got me curious. With you in the mix - your being here and your helping him out as a friend - that just added to the mystery. If it is friendship you feel for him, of course." Izaya looked at her with a searching gaze, as if checking to see how she would react to the statement. "'Asch', isn't it? He was with us on that trip to Sandalwood. Didn't care for me much then, either."
Slapping his palm down on the table in an uncharacteristic moment of anger, the costumed hero frowned at his recruiter. "Do you remember when you used to come to me in my apartment?" he asked quietly, his voice barely audible over the surrounding sounds. It was only because he leaned closer, eyes locked with hers, that she would probably be able to hear him at all.
"I used to sit by myself at the window for days on end. Sure, I had a secretary, but she wasn't much company. Kept threatening to poison my food, even though she never did because I was her employer. I was always alone. Even after I joined Team Rocket, why should I have expected that to change? Why should anyone have?"
He moved even nearer to her; so close it was almost alarming. "Don't you worry about me," he whispered, though the words were said with every suggestion of a threat. "I'm not your friend. And I know you think I'm your responsibility, but I'm not anymore. I'm older than you. I can look out for myself. Go take care of your partner, if you're so eager to fret over someone." At last he withdrew, placing his chin on his palm as he turned back to the trainers. "And here I'd thought you had finally come to a party of your own free will in the hopes that'd you'd finally learned what it meant to relax."
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Tue Oct 18, 2011 5:36 pm
(@Izaya)
She nodded, "I appreciate that you cooperated. I doubt it would have gone well for anyone if such a scene had taken place." She turned her head slightly as he enunciated, "I would hesitate to call him a friend, for reasons I believe you're aware of." He'd met Marcus, after all. "I'd say our relationship is more professional than that, but there is a sense of... camaraderie?" Her words were thoughtful, as though she weren't quite sure of them herself.
The sudden outburst of anger caught her off guard, and she listened in startled silence to the low, nearly venomous monologue he delivered. When he had finished and drawn away from her, she was left visibly disheartened. "...I seem to have overstepped a boundary." She stood, a hand lingering at the back of the chair and her eyes lingering at her hand. "I apologize." With a brief nod to dismiss herself, she departed from the table to leave Izaya in the solitude he seemed to desire - though she was perhaps slightly more upset about the unceremonious display of contempt than she would admit even to herself.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Tue Oct 18, 2011 5:37 pm
((Shadow))
Again, Luxury studied the boy. He seemed less goofy -to put it politely- with less stuff, at least. And he was polite. That was a plus...
Warily, she took his hand. "Sure, why not. Better than standing around like losers I guess." She had to snicker at his joke. "And I don't do boyfriends."
Let him take that as he will, either way it should keep him from hitting on her. Hopefully. Not that being hit on was a bad thing... Just something she wasn't used to yet. Besides, she had no clue if Panther was there, and she knew Nakura was, and both had been flirty so she decided to keep a secret eye out. Though it was silly to think any guy would be jealous over her. It was preposterous.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Tue Oct 18, 2011 5:51 pm
(Charlotte)
More attention was drawn to him, and with no surprise it was focused on his eyes. He didn't seem to be bothered or take notice of the attention, but he didn't been that particularly social about the group.
"Didn't hurt at all." He told her. "just felt like somethin' cold on yer eye."
It was true, while the procedure had looked gruesome and something out of a horror film, there was absolutely no pain. "'Just gatta keep still while they do it."
that might have been the hardest part, but seeing as he got out with his vision in tact, he had done well in not moving.
(Dith)
the Pinky girl was jumping up and down, and her flailing seemed to get the attention of a very large man... very large man.
Jerome couldn't help but straighten up the closer he got to the group, but otherwise didn't show any other signs of awkwardness about this guy.
Well, looked like Izumi was in good company, she's got that four eyes dude lookin out for her as a body guard, and she went around with a group including this guy?
Looked a bit old, Jerome wondered who's dad he was.
When the hand was extended, Jerome reached out to take it. His own eyes leveling with the larger man, eying him quietly before he nodded, not trying to squeeze his hand back. Jerome didn't want to mess with this one, even though he knew he was getting one of "those looks."
"yeah, same." he replied. "didn't know I was that well known." he noted, honestly surprised so many of them seemed to already know his name. did Izumi really talk about him?
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Tue Oct 18, 2011 5:53 pm
It's good for her, the informant told himself as he refused to look back at Aila. She's getting soft. She doesn't call Asch her friend, but she wouldn't have helped him with something that unprofessional if he weren't... He tapped the mask against the table thoughtfully, still wearing a bitter frown. She needs to remember that no one can be trusted. She needs to learn to look out for herself and only herself - just like she used to. It won't help her to worry over me.
He'd done it. He'd pushed away one of the few people left in the world who'd still cared about him. Izaya had proven, as he liked to time and time again, that even professional and apathetic-seeming humans had feelings. How? He managed to hurt them. Find their soft spot. Poke at it; wound it. Pour salt on it. Teach them to deal with the pain.
The only difference this time was that the soft spot he had poked at was himself. He couldn't remember the last time the weakness he'd found in another person had been himself. Yes, he'd told Aila to loosen up and have some fun, but for her own sake; not anyone else's. She still cared about others too much. Someone was going to stab her in the back again if she wasn't careful. If it had to be him in order to get that lesson through her head, then so be it. After what he'd just said, though, maybe he wouldn't have to go so far as that. Maybe she'd stop after she got over whatever feelings he'd hurt.
With a heavy sigh, the weary informant put his head down on the table, trying to tell himself he wanted to be alone.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Tue Oct 18, 2011 6:55 pm
"Ha. I don't know about you, but I don't think I'm going to be any less of a loser on the dance floor," Shadow laughed. "At least I have company, though, if you're willing to stand being seen with a loser like me."
Pulling Luxury out onto the floor, his coordination seemed to have improved with the removal of his extra accessories. "Smart choice," he said seriously as she mentioned the part about boyfriends. He wondered if she'd had some bad experience with one to learn that, but chose not to ask. It would have been rude, and he didn't want to pry. "There should be more girls like you."A DJ at the back of the room had been playing typical, slow halloween party music since the first guests had shown up, allowing them to mingle as they created the atmosphere. When the first few couples started to pair up in the center of the room, however, he grinned, deciding to take things up a notch. Now was the time to really start the music. With luck, it would encourage more people to the dance floor.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Tue Oct 18, 2011 8:06 pm
As Aila announced that she was going to return the mask, Asch didn't really care. He had no opinion on the matter and simply nodded before he parted ways with his partner for the time being.
The now purple princess meandered through the crowd and soon approached the trainer group again, although keeping his distance. However, there was no sight of Natalia or "that idiot" just yet. He frowned, but remained close by. They would likely show up to mingle with this group eventually.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Tue Oct 18, 2011 8:08 pm
(Trainers)
Rosie's eyes were wide as Jerome talked about actually getting INK injected into his eye. She... had no idea that people could actually do that!
It was pretty scary, even she had to admit, it must have taken a lot to decide to change something as dramatic as ones eye.
Izumi's friend was really interesting, quiet, but he seemed nice enough. He had to be if Izumi liked him~
nearly everyone had arrived. Rosie gleefully greeted Dith, before Dith got to be introduced to Jerome.
Floding her hands infront of her, watching everyone, and how amazing they looked in the costumes.
But the music started to get lively again, and Rosie was not in the mood to just sit still.
"Come on guys~ lets go dance" She said, reaching out to take Sera's arm and pulling her friend lightly to lead her out further into the groups of people around.
Kiss Kiss chirping happily and hopping onto her shoulder, Melody, having slipped an eye-patch over her eye smirked and crawled over next to Rosie as well.
The blond was careful not to be to demanding with her handling of Sera, if the girl wanted to follow she would,
But Rosie was quick to try and edge everyone toward the dance floor, taking the lead herself as she started to move through people.
During times that she needed to squeeze by people, being polite and saying excuse me as she held onto her hat, tipping it at them.
clearly not a very good pirate, this one.
It was one individual that she had to twirl out of the way from that caused her to stop and blink in the middle of her "pardon me-"
Red hair, green eyes, unamused expression- "Luke!"
Her expression brightened up, "You came after all!" she looked over his costume, eyebrows arching with an impressed look. A faery seemed to have been his draw, but he did a good job in making it suit a more masculine look.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Tue Oct 18, 2011 8:11 pm
There was another spy watching the Trainer group. If Izaya hadn't watched him change right before his eyes, he probably wouldn't have had any idea who he was. He had, though, so he did.
"Asch," Izaya called in a normal voice, figuring no one who wasn't listening for the name would be able to hear. "I need to have a little chat with you. Mind taking a seat?" he asked, gesturing to the chair he'd pulled out for Aila previously. "You can watch them just fine from here; don't worry. I'm keeping an eye on them too."
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Reply
