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 Posted: Wed Nov 19, 2008 7:21 pm
It was the small things in life that mattered. Vashan could understand that statement more than anyone, though he had not exercised it in many, many years. He had learned to take the seabreezes for granted, as well as the many people that would come by, so when the girl gave him a small, gentle smile he just watched her, stared at her, almost, willing himself to take it all in.
Shuffling nonchalantly along behind her, he winced inwardly as the din of the masquerade party had reached an all out rising high on his ears. They were getting farther and farther into the hall, and he wasn't sure if he was ready to engage in more conversation. He wiped his palms on his pants as he followed her to the bar, glancing away when he saw the two masked people, one with a very intimidating choice of costume, if you were to call it that. It looked like a suit of some sort, though what it could possibly be used for completely escaped him.
The lights burned at his eyes- he was not used to such frivolities.
He tried to concentrate on her voice, finding himself relaxing a bit more as the answer came naturally to him.
"Yes, I did," he spoke in that nostalgic half-murmur that was particular to him only. "I do miss it, sometimes, and I owe a lot to it, too. It feels like I might have taken it for granted, when I think back. It's a pity I needed to throw myself into the mountains to recognize the worth of that ocean."
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Posted: Sat Nov 22, 2008 1:42 pm
Mokoyis arrival at the bar coincided with Estrelas' shout and she winced. Suprisingly the hamburger half didn't sound drunk- well no more drunk than Estrelas normally did. She slid into a seat nearby and nodded at the one beside her, indicating for Vashan to sit. She was very careful to leave a few seats between them and Estrelas. She wasn't sure the shy Jamaican was ready for Estrelas.
"I know what you mean," she wrinkled her nose and smiled wryly. "I get claustrophobic if I'm here at headquarters for too long. The land teaches us lessons, and it can physically hurt if you don't get that reminder sometimes. I much prefer to be out on some sort of mission. "
She looked around. A few more people were dancing, but not the kind of dancing she liked. This was like the kind she read about in books that happened in the big house white men built. Johannes was out of commision still, and was that the strange Asian returning with the Russian?
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Posted: Sat Nov 22, 2008 2:07 pm
Vashan flinched as he heard Estralas shout. He had not mentally prepared himself for such characters before coming to LOTUS, but he had expected that his bad luck would continue. The personification of all his fears and dislikes was concentrated in that eccentric half of a foam food item that Mokoyis had thankfully distanced themselves from, and he looked away quickly as he sat down on the opposite side of her, not wanting to engage it conversation with it.
Her words piqued an interest in him. He had been pining to be sent onto a mission immediately after arriving so he would not have to deal with the formalities of meeting large groups of people, but now that he was getting the party done and over with, he was still wanting to leave the place.
He pondered asking about them, but his heart fluttered nervously, so he answered safely, instead,
"I feel like I've always been staying put in that one place, and I honestly felt that I had seen the world," he laughed stiffly, rubbing a kink out of his neck. "It's things like this that really knock me from those beliefs."
He felt her eyes drifting to the dance floor, and he refused to follow them, knowing very well the nostalgia that would come from the dancing, like the foreigners at night and their flamboyant parties. He closed his eyes.
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Posted: Sat Nov 22, 2008 2:23 pm
Mokoyis nodded, "When I- "she paused, she was about to say ran away from home but changed her mind, "left my home," If one could call the wild west show a home, "I thought I had seen it all too, but as I began to travel further and further down even into South America I realized how big the world actually is. I still miss home sometimes though." She added with a half grin as she looked back from the dance floor to her companion.
She raised an eyebrow at his expression, remembering home perhaps? Reminising was all very good, but the pain may still be raw for some of the newer recruits she supposed and changed the subject.
"Have you met anyone else yet...besides Wraith I mean?" Everyone met Wraith first, that's how most people even found out LOTUS existed.
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Posted: Sat Nov 22, 2008 6:25 pm
"No." Johannes said with a straight face. "Zorro?" "That's the only costume I can think of." Johannes nodded when Wraith said black had an understated elegance.
Of course, back home it might be used to hide how fat someone is, thought Johannes. At least, that's the purpose that his mother had for it. Besides funerals and mourning.
"E,eh?" Johannes looked up, "oh, yes, yes." "I expect I'll be able to walk well, at least." "That was really some drink..." Johannes said, scracthing his head (partially due to the wig.) "I hope you enjoy this wonderful party, then." Johannes grinned widely. "Off you go then, no need to worry about old me, now."
Johannes looked around and saw that people were beginning to get together and talked. He preferred to stay seated for now.
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Posted: Sat Nov 22, 2008 7:36 pm
"Now now, do not judge a book by its cover comrade."
There was a slight offended edge to his voice and his eyes flashed while he tried to smile as pleasantly as possible. The Russian knew he, along with Hyo and at least one other, was at the bottom of the LOTUS hierarchy, but he still felt that they should receive a little respect. They did get into the organization after all and want to help instead of hinder. Who was this man to say if they did or did not belong in the organization?
"I am sure Miss Hyo here has talents that will help in the cause and I myself am not all niceties, so please do me the honor of not labeling me. You barely know a thing about me and, frankly, it is insulting; the words coming out of your mouth right now. Plus it seems that if I was not of any use, I would not be here amongst you now would I?"
The Russian man passed by Thasios and walked through the door with his head up and gaze forward. Lai was sure he not all niceties as he believed he could deliver a right hook to someone in the face if his temper peaked, but those moments were few and far between. Plus everyone has another side to them that is rarely seen, so he must have one too. Lai was easygoing and tries hard not to let fickle things get to him, tending to be more concerned with others than with himself. As he turned to see if the other two were behind him, Lai couldn't help but hope the gold clad man would not lead this into some sort of argument, Lai did not want the evening to be spoiled more than it already had been.
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Posted: Mon Nov 24, 2008 4:21 am
Vashan opened his eyes at the first note of her voice, or at least, tried to, not wanting to appear rude. Her speech was a little broken as if she were changing her mind in between phrases, and distantly he wondered if she was feeling alright.
Still, it was not in his place to ask, so he simply nodded at her words and felt closer because of them- the way she seemed to identify with his naivete about the world.
He was about to reply when she changed the subject suddenly, and though he frowned at the strange digression he was thankful inside- Mokoyis was an insightful woman, and perhaps saw the things he did not want to remember.
He pondered her question softly, laughed inwardly though his face stayed the same stone slate as always, if not for a hint of compassion.
"Just you. I had literally just arrived about half a week ago before this masquerade ball and I hadn't gone outside much yet," he confessed, bringing his eyes up to her face appreciatively.
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Posted: Mon Nov 24, 2008 3:41 pm
 What did that man just say? So many difficult, unknown words, and Hyo had no idea what to think about it. Except that he said something that upset the kind spirit. How dare he? It seems that the place he landed in definitely wasn't a good one. Demons, monstrosities, and now rude people. Why does he have such bad luck? The boy sent an angry glare towards Tuashioos, and walked just a step behind the kind spirit, deciding that it was just the right thing to do - ignore the (probably) mean people, and go somewhere else.
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Posted: Wed Nov 26, 2008 6:40 pm
Wraith Sian Eknephias lips curled up into a mad grin. He liked this one. Willing to go along; that was always a good thing. Laughing at odd intervals was a nice touch too. "Well, is your singing voice any good? I like my fun, but inflicting a pained voice on all these people is sadistic even for one such as me. Well, no; I suppose it isn't." Eknephias wasn't much of a singer; not compared to Thasios, at least. Shee had always said he had a good voice, he just didn't apply himself properly, as Thasios apparently did. He was drifting further from the masquerade when the perfect idea dawned on him. "No. I know of the perfect activity to engage in." He grinned again. "I say some unmasking is in order."
Which meant he wasn't wearing his eye patch, and Einar would rather not show the rest of LOTUS the gaping hole that made up were his left eye should be, but the idea of pulling the mask off that annoying unicorn and maybe trashing that stupid costume of those two harpies was almost too good to pass up.
"Well, screw that. I'll just get enough in me so I won't actually remember tonight despite my tolerance and make a party of it. Who're we going for first? If you want someone to sing I can even sing a folk tune while we do it - or maybe a dirge. Lord knows I got enough practice singing those things while on our marches."
Einar was starting to feel the effects of his two drinks in his body, the temperature about his chest slowly rising. He was the kind of drunk who just got mildly warm and generally lost his inhibitions when more and more alcohol got poured into him, which he was hoping would occur, and as he chuckled to himself he started to hum the beginning notes of a dirge.
His voice was something he was proud of, to be sure, and despite the alcohol in his system it rang out clear as he slowly grow louder in pitch.
"Bring it on, who's first? Please say it's the burger."
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Posted: Wed Nov 26, 2008 9:21 pm
Sebastien smiled lopsidedly at Eponine. "No guns. Not as elegant as a sword, I find." He blinked and tightened his hold on her, his hand gripping her arm; he didn't want her to fall.
She did seem to recover nicely. "Ah. I am sorry to hear that you underwent such hardships." He stopped suddenly as she continued, the focus of their conversation shifting squarely to him. The Court at Anjou... he missed it. It had been torturous, the last few weeks there, but he could not tear himself away from it. Henri's face, smooth and beardless, materialized before him. He grimaced, his features taken hold of by a quiet, buried pain, before he remembered where he was. He attempted another smile and lowered his head. "I would... not like to speak of it, if that is alright. We can say... that there was nothing left for me there." He dropped her hands abruptly, and stumbled before stopping, standing still. He brightened slightly at Eponine's comparisions of the two French areas, and looked back up at her. "Oh no. Anjou is in the valley; it is much more beautiful than Paris."
Wraith gave Johannes a disgusted look. "If I had something sharp, you wouldn't still be here." Right. Good mood.
"You didn't take it from some Greek man, did you? Because you should never do that." He patted the man on the shoulder gingerly and stood up, scanning the crowd again. There was Sebastien with a half of the hamburger, and Thasios apparently not bothering to be in costume as he came through the door... craning his neck, Wraith spotted Lai with him, and Shee over with some sack person. And then he saw Estrelas at the bar, a larger food item yelling loudly at the bartender. He couldn't tell if she was drunk.
Slipping in beside her, he peered at her, trying to find some sort of front to the large, foamy costume. "Are you... alright, Es-- uh..." He coughed lightly. He didn't think she'd take well to being found out. Even if it was obvious that the only person it could possibly ever be was Estrelas.
Thasios's face betrayed a feeling of mild surprise. "I am glad to hear that. It was not my... intention to anger you. I merely wished to remind you what the purpose of LOTUS is." A smile, unfocused, crossed his features. "Do you really think I don't know anything about you?"
Tilting his head towards the other man, Eknephias could almost taste the sweet, bewildering reactions. "Ah. I will make sure you are not unmasked. If you are, I owe you a drink."
Eknephias gave a shout of delight at the other man's voice. "Why, you sing beautifully, my friend!" He had been wildly looking around, deciding on a target, when the other man gave his choice. "The burger? That is a difficult one, don't you think? Shall we start with something easier? Maybe..." he looked around again, calmer this time, and his gaze settled on the burger. It was too hard to avoid. "Alright. Let us do the burger." And finishing with a tone of finality, he began walking to the half of the burger that looked less belligerent.
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Posted: Wed Nov 26, 2008 9:55 pm
Wraith Sian Tilting his head towards the other man, Eknephias could almost taste the sweet, bewildering reactions. "Ah. I will make sure you are not unmasked. If you are, I owe you a drink." Eknephias gave a shout of delight at the other man's voice. "Why, you sing beautifully, my friend!" He had been wildly looking around, deciding on a target, when the other man gave his choice. "The burger? That is a difficult one, don't you think? Shall we start with something easier? Maybe..." he looked around again, calmer this time, and his gaze settled on the burger. It was too hard to avoid. "Alright. Let us do the burger." And finishing with a tone of finality, he began walking to the half of the burger that looked less belligerent.
He stopped humming the dirge long enough to speak those few lines and give a thin peel of laughter at his new best friend's desire to ravage the burger, and once he started walking Einar once again picked up the dirge, this time changing to one most people would know - Dies Irae. He even dared to toss in a few lyrics - in their natural Latin of course.
"Dies iræ, dies illa. . ."
While he would have enjoyed greatly to do nothing more than rip the costumes from the harpies slowly and surely, he felt it would be best if he left it all up to the other man in the party. He wouldn't mind doing it to other men, but beating up women while others were around...wasn't his style. If it was just him and them and no witnesses, then that would be another story all together.
"Solvet sæclum in favilla. . ."
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Posted: Wed Nov 26, 2008 10:18 pm
Lai suppressed the urge to let a little victorious smirk go. He turned back around and almost ran into Hyo as the girl was right on his coattails. He gave the girl a small smile, noticing she seemed a bit off somehow and patted her shoulder. His eyes went to Thasios' figure.
"Oh, I was not angered. Only a bit frustrated. It takes quite a bit to anger me, and if I am you would know it." He flashed a pleasant smile that faded slightly at the question. "I had a feeling you were of a higher rank...Tell me comrade, what do you know?"
The Russian was interested in what the man in gold knew about him, but before Thasios answered Lai heard a peculiar sound drift over the ballroom. Singing. In a voice he had heard before.
"Excuse me." Lai turned away from Thasios and Hyo, his head turning as he surveyed the room for where the voice was wafting from. Too many people chatting, he couldn't get a clear pinpoint on it. As he began to hear lyrics in a foreign language Lai was certain of where he had heard the voice before. Not too long ago in the gardens...Einar Willason.
So he is here...But where...?
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Posted: Wed Nov 26, 2008 10:55 pm
"You are right. Guns are ugly, aren't they? They take, take, and take, even when you don't have nothing to give." Eponine nodded understandingly. "Don't worry," she said cheerfully, suddenly seeing a sort of pain on his face. Change the subject, change the subject! "But of course- a lot more things are more beautiful than Paris," Eponine said confidently. The hamburger disguise was really getting to her! "Paris is an ugly city full of ugly people." Thank you Victor Hugo! "I bet Anjou is beautiful. I bet it has a lot of green to it. It is a city? A big city?" Hah! How much did a hamburger half know about Anjou? "I've never been outside of Paris until I came here," she admited shyly. "I bet you've been to England and Spain and everywhere. I once saw a woodcut of a fancy ship with a mermaid on the figurehead. Do you travel on one? I would think you would. With gold bits," she adeed.
The hamburger half containing Estrelas slowly revolved on the bar stool to face Wraith. What apparently was the front faced him and yet another drink disappeared through the plastic lettuce. "Ohhhh, hello there!" she crowed, back to her Portuguese accent. "Ah am a hamburger," she answered, trying to figure out what an allrite was. "Not an... An... Allrite."
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Posted: Thu Nov 27, 2008 6:36 am
Hyo didn't have enough of a warning, so when the kind spirit stopped, he didn't manage to do the same in time, and walked into his back. It was pretty embarrassing. Especially because of the horn. Hopefully it didn't hurt much? Thank the gods that he put it upwards, and not frontal like he intended at the beginning.... He watched Raai saying something to Tuashioos, seeming less angered after them man said something... But then he stopped mid-sentence, suddenly very interested in the room fool of people. What did he saw that interested him so? Or did he hear something? Is it that singing sound?
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Posted: Thu Nov 27, 2008 8:20 am
Mokoyis watched Einar and his companion walk away with some relief. Estrelas was louder, but she was friendly and Mokoyis knew who she was. The other two were strangers (maybe), and therefore a bit suspisious. She watched them from the corner of her eye hoping that the alcohol would just make them go to sleep.
She didnt' quite turn back to Vashan but she did angle her body towards him, "Well this is quite a welcome then, though perhaps a bit more overwhelming than one would hope for." It appeared that the strangers were singing; singing was harmless so gave her companion her full attention. She laughed and shook a teasing finger at the man. "You shouldn't hide in your rooms, if I don't see you around after this I will have to look you up." She winked
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