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 Posted: Mon Nov 09, 2009 9:24 pm
Varon sat by the tables where the dead had been laid down on, working on the effects of pulsating necrotic energy to increase nerve response and faster reflexes. To succeed in this would also mean a step forward in reanimating certain parts of the brain, which was a cherished milestone. To his frustration, his body had suffered injuries when he’d let it become a vessel for Lucien. Strangely enough, the scratches made by the cat didn’t bleed when he took over- likely yet another symptom of necrotic influence. Because of this they were now barely even visible in his face, much less when a healing balm was applied and they quickly mended. Pain sensors were stifled to avoid the unwanted sensation from both his face and shoulder.
Illusory magic projected an image of Lucien working in the lab simulations, making general predictions on the spread of a particular infectious disease, though they lacked the data for its ability to spread. Another computer terminal had the school’s mission application forms open on its window, once they were filled out with the relevant data on the assignment, it would be posted in all of the respective mediums that the recruitment period for a new assignment had begun.
The realization that his research needed to advance fast enough to achieve the activation of the brain came when the doors to the first-floor elevator opened- somebody was coming. He walked over to where Lucien sat, extracting his spirit and melding it with his body, once again turning into his favored captive. The illusion in the room this time was Varon, an image of him appearing where he once stood next to the bodies and facing the door. Ever the narcissist, Varon swiftly eyed his manifestation one last time before allowing Lucien’s essence to take hold, retreating deep inside like a hidden ventriloquist. His features reshaped themselves to match Lucien's, though now the scratches were visible with several red dashes and dots of clotted blood marking his injuries.
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Posted: Mon Nov 09, 2009 9:55 pm
Evie glanced up at the light ding of the elevator, smiling softly to herself. One hand was still holding her bag, but she seemed somewhat calmer as she stepped into the new room. Her eyes darted about curiously, taking in various sights and sounds, before she stepped lightly toward a pair of doors at the end of the hall. The closer she drew, the more nerves began to seep back in. She didn't want to see a dead body. She really didn't want to smell one. She glanced down at her bag, a flush of embarrassment rising to her cheeks. She'd brought a first aid kit. A simple little box with basic items, but it'd further prove that she'd come here to check, not to be clingy. She really didn't want to be seen as such.
She breathed out a little sigh as she paused before the doors, head tipping back to read the names upon it. Varon and Lucien. Well, she was in the right place. She glanced down to the little button that would open the doors, but instead she simply hesitated, taking a breath. She looked a little lost, and her eyes kept darting about as if seeking instructions. But finally, she lifted her hand, and her knuckles rapped across the door. "Hello..?" she called nervously, paused a moment to let whoever may be inside become aware of her presence, if they weren't already, and then pushed her finger to the button.
They slid open, and she flinched slightly from the rush of cool air, hand tightening around the strap of her bag. "S-sorry to interrupt you..." she stammered slightly, but began to edge her nervous way into the new room, eyes focused on the floor now. She really didn't want to see a dead body... Oh, why had she come? "I.. I wanted to check.. on your face."
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Posted: Tue Nov 10, 2009 9:42 am
As the room was kept at a slightly lower pressure, the opening of the doors was followed by a slight flow of air from the open doorway. After the mechanical doors closed behind Evie, the colder temperatures started to feel more noticeable- much more than the warmer air-conditioned hallway. It was only just above freezing temperatures and well beyond the comfort of most people. The air itself had a sterile smell: the cold greatly slowed bacterial metabolism and the aerial compounds that were produced had been quickly filtered out.
Varon’s counterpart was the first to notice the visitor, being within his line-of-sight. His gaze could only be described as holding great contempt for this intruder; eyes on the floor and tail between her legs- how pathetic, “Who the hell are you?” Red eyes locked on to her face, waiting for her to look him in the eye. Lucien, however, pulled away from his desk after a few short moments, finishing up the data for the simulation before addressing his guest, “Oh, hello! I knew you’d come eventually, just not so soon.” He stood up, stretching lightly and facing his immaterial partner, “Varon, a little more courtesy, please. This is Miss Evie, she’s a new student and a marvelous friend I made at tonight’s event. Now…” He turned to face Evie now, motioning her formal introduction, “Evie, I would like you to meet my partner-in-crime, Varon Vamori.”
Varon continued his work indifferently, “Only refer to me as Varon, I’ve forsaken the name of the Vamori dynasty, as Lucien here knows very well yet refuses to comply.” Lucien sun around theatrically dejected, “Come now, Varon. Surely you cannot blame every soul! There are surely some family members that were sympathetic to your plight.” There was no response as Varon seemingly ignored his coworker and focused on his experiments.
Lucien turned his attention to Evie, now taking note of the small box in her hand and her offer and smiling broadly “Oh! Thank you very much!” He fetched another rolling chair and two light metal trays- one to hold the supplies more easily in her lap and the other as a mirror, “It seems this facility hasn’t been used in a while- they failed to resupply the medical cabinet and I found myself short of proper treatment.” The chairs were placed in front of one another and offered her a seat before taking one for himself.
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Posted: Wed Nov 11, 2009 11:26 am
Evie shivered, her eyes widening a little at the cold feel of the room. She tensed, wanting to wrap her arms around herself and make a hasty retreat, but instead she just stood there just inside the doors, waiting to make sure now wasn't a bad time. At first, it seemed it was. She jumped as she was spotted by someone other than who she'd intended, and she took a small, half step backwards at his rude first statement. "O-oh! I.. I'm sorry. I..." But her awkward, stammered response cut off as Lucien arrived, and her face lit up in relief, feet shuffling quickly toward him in the hopes of escaping his partner's red-eyed glare. As Lucien introduced him, she offered a tentative smile and a light bow of her head. "It's nice to m-meet you," she stammered quietly, wishing she could hold her voice steady. Why was it so hard..? His eyes really creeped her out...
But she was secretly flattered at being called a marvelous friend, and her smile became a little more real and believable.
"U-um, alright..." Evie murmured, staring quietly toward Varon as he spoke about his preferred name, and she bit her lip softly as Lucien tried to intervene slightly. Family plight..? Her mind went to the store of difficulties Lucien had told about his friend, and she found herself wondering if this was the one. But, she definitely wasn't going to ask about it. It wasn't any of her business.
Her attention focused upon Lucien once more, as he gathered up chairs and she felt her cheeks growing warm against the frigid air of the room. "You want me to..?" she asked faintly, as she settled herself nervously before him. Her bag slipped off her shoulder to settle carefully upon the floor, as she set the little first aid kit upon the tray in her lap. Blushing noticeably, she popped it open, and pulled out a few items, assuming he should first clean up the scratches. "You didn't g-go to the hospital first..?" she asked worriedly, a hint of scolding in her tone as well. She hesitated, and then cautiously tilted a little forward and closer, holding her hand steady as she dabbed gently at one of the cuts. It wasn't her first time dealing with injuries. She knew her way around the basics, at least, so she could handle cleaning a few scratches. Though, she paused as she felt another shiver run through her form. "How can you work here? It's s-so cold..."
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Posted: Fri Nov 13, 2009 4:36 am
Lucien smiled warmly and genuinely as she shuffled her way towards him- she reminded him of a newborn puppy that was moved to a strange new world and clung to its mother for a sense of security and familiarity- a most charming image in and of itself. As they’d sat down Lucien edged closer slightly so she wouldn’t have to bend so far in his direction. He answered her bewildered and slightly scolding question with light optimism and his usual care-free nature, “Not to worry! Varon here managed to get the blood to clot and, being such a grand savant over the powers of death and decay,” This was spoken in a light theatrical tone, as if to appeal to his partner’s narcissism, which had gone seemingly unnoticed, “He made sure to prevent any more infections from taking root. He didn’t bother to assist any further, but it eliminated any immediate threat. In any case, it’s always nice to be able to clean the minor infections off, if only to aid in the wound’s healing process."
When she shivered for the second time, Lucien looked around and got up, reaching for a black coat, but his hand drew back as it was something that hadn’t gone unnoticed by his partner, “Touch my coat and I will give you a curse and a plague that isn’t already on it. Find something else.” Lucien opened the door to his makeshift quarters and his hand emerged with a royal blue jacket. It was an uninterrupted and in order to be worn, it had to be pulled down, for it lacked any aperture to facilitate this. This feature and its fine and tight weave made it an excellent piece of apparel for the winter due to how well it kept its user warm. It was clearly an elegant and expensive garment, much like everything else Lucien seemed to own. It would clearly be big for her, but given her size, it wouldn’t be off by much save the width of the torso; the length of the sleeve were a bit longer still due to his limbs being slightly longer than the usual proportions.
Walking back to where Evie sat, he held out the article of clothing as an offering, “I apologize, you tend to get used to it and having a magical affinity does a lot to help your body cope with these extremes. This should keep you warm, for the most part.” Sitting back down again, Lucien leaned slightly forward to facilitate her job, talking casually as one would during a normal hospital checkup or a regular facial, “I appreciate you coming all this way in concern for my safety, not often are such acts of kindness and generosity given.”
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Posted: Fri Nov 13, 2009 11:20 am
Evie sat there, quite tense, with a deep red across her cheeks. But her fingers shifted, dabbing away at each little cut, gingerly cleaning away invading germs. She looked determinedly focused, tilted toward him, but still childish with how flustered she appeared. Her eyes flicked briefly toward Varon as his help was mentioned, and if he'd looked over, she would've thanked him. But he didn't, and she found him a bit frightening in the first place, so she simply kept silent and continued. Besides, she didn't much want to hear about these powers of death and decay.
The cleaning didn't take very long. Or, at least, it shouldn't have. But she was being thorough, spending too long on each cut, afraid to miss anything. "They... don't seem too bad," she agreed quietly, her hand drawing back when Lucien suddenly rose.
She blinked, head tilting as her eye followed him, her body jumping slightly as Varon suddenly spoke up with a threat over the coat. No, she really didn't like him at all... She set her supplies back down into the tray so that she could wrap her arms around herself. However, if it was going to cause trouble, she'd rather just try to deal with it, instead of cause him to run all over the room trying to find her something. But by the time she thought to open her mouth and tell him of this decision, Lucien had already vanished into another room, and returned soon after with a jacket.
"Ah..." Evie blinked, admiring it quietly from afar, then better as he drew nearer, her fingers cautiously reaching out to accept it from him. "Th-thank you very much," she stammered. She was trying to speak normally, but her teeth were trying to chatter as well, and they won in the end, faltering her speech further. She tugged the jacket on, and soon after exhaled a soft, content sigh, feeling herself warming up already. She rubbed her hands together and then picked up the little patch of cloth and resumed blushing and dabbing at his face once more. "It's... no trouble," she murmured, head lowering a little as he spoke again. Acts of kindness? She just wanted to check on her first friend in a long while, but she couldn't admit that to him. "W-well, if I'd gotten it... the cat... off s-sooner, it might've done less d-damage..." she mumbled guiltily.
"There isn't... much else I c-can do, unless you'd l-like band-aids all over your face..." she informed him, finally withdrawing her hand after a couple seconds more.
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Posted: Sat Nov 14, 2009 7:57 pm
“Ah, well… can’t say a kitten’s claws are long enough to do anything major at a distance.” Lucien leaned back in his chair, crossing his legs and reaching for an antibiotic balm and a Q-tip, applying it to the wounds, using the second plate as a mirror. He looked up and smiled as he’d address her in a stern and supportive tone, “Oh, do not diminish your contributions. You could have done so later or not at all- out of surprise or pleasure. If I am very much grateful for what you have done, do not second-guess yourself. You don’t deserve less than genuine praise.”
As he’d spoken, one of the bodies occupating the tables on the far-end, got up and snuck up behind Evie. Remarkably well-preserved, the young body looked almost alive- way too much for a corpse, which made it even more frightening. Her skin had a blue-ish hue as the oxygen had been depleted from her veins and her eyes looked chilly and empty, though thankfully it didn’t show the cloudyness of decay. There wan’t an obvious sign of a cause of death except her forehead showed some slight discoloration in a circle at the center of her forehead- a bullet hole covered in a paste to conceal the wound during funeral processions. She smiled in a failed attempt at the human gesture and spoke in the sweet voice she had in life, “Lady, either kiss him or leave… we have work to do.”
The corpse laughed right along with the illusory Varon just as Lucien felt a slight tingle at a corner of his mind. Lucien seemed indignant, snapping at his lab partner, “Varon! Please be civil! Must you frighten a friend of mine? As if doing so to young minds is deplorable enough?” There was no answer, merely a chuckle at a lower tone of voice, just barely audible.
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Posted: Sat Nov 14, 2009 8:22 pm
Evie squirmed a little in her seat, looking uncomfortable with the praise, but somewhat flattered at the same time. The light pink lingered in her cheeks, her hands settled upon her lap as she stared down at him. "Th-thank you..." she said after a long pause, feet shifting as she crossed one ankle over the other, legs bent with her feet slightly beneath the chair. She began fidgeting with the first aid kit held in her lap, paused when Lucien began tending to himself, and then slowly resumed. He didn't need her fawning over him. It would probably be considered strange, and unwanted. They hardly knew each other, and she figured the only reason he hadn't fixed himself up already was because he didn't have supplies. There wasn't much in her kit, but it had the basic necessities. Maybe she'd let him keep it...
Lost in her thoughts, she didn't realize that something had approached her. She sat lightly bent in her seat, staring now at the jacket's sleeves, a light smile tugging at her lips as she toyed gently with their length. She preferred long sleeves over short, so she didn't really mind. But, she did mind the person who spoke up behind her. She minded very much.
When they spoke, she turned sharply, eyes wide. "Wh-what? I-" she stammered out, at first simply caught off guard by the words themselves, which made her blush considerably deepen. It took her a second to realize that their hadn't been any other females in the room, and a second more to actually take in her appearance. Dead. She was dead. This girl had a disguised hole in her head. Why was.. she moving..?
"A-AHHH!" Evie shrieked. She couldn't hold it in. The shrill noise burst out as she rocketed from her chair, only to trip because of her crossed ankles. The contents of her kit spilled across the floor, but she failed to notice. She stumbled forward to the floor and scrambled ungracefully behind Lucien's chair, clutching at it. Settled on her knees, she peeked around the side, staring through wide, disbelieving eyes. A body. A dead body had just spoken. It'd come up behind her. It.. it could've done anything..! Her eyes shifted from the girl to the one who'd apparently animated it, and she stared at him, struggling to regain her computer. Her face was positively glowing with embarrassment now. Surely he.. wouldn't have actually hurt her, right?
"A p-prank," she choked out, voice trembling. Cautiously, she crawled from behind the chair and began gathering up the spilled contents of her first aid kit. She kept her head lowered, her expression a fake, stressed smile. "It's o-okay. J-just a har... harmless prank. I'm s-sorry. I'll l-l-leave you to y-your w-work..." Wobbly rising back to her feet, Evie's shaking hands extended the repacked first aid kit toward Lucien, followed quickly by the borrowed jacket as she shrugged it off her shoulders. "Th-thank you for s-seeing me again," she squeaked, reaching next to pick up her bag and sling it over her shoulder, her hands moving then to slip her headphones back over her ears. As she settled them in place, her head bowed clumsily toward Varon as well. "I'm s-sorry..."
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Posted: Mon Nov 16, 2009 5:15 am
[Eh, rushed this so I'm not particularly pleased with its somewhat 'cheesy' content. In any case, I'm dying to get to the real messing around and unraveling the plot between the two.]
Varon burst into a fit of malicious laughter as she apologized, “My, my… what an excellent little puppy you’ve gotten youself, brother. Not only does she have a most exquisite scream, but she bows down like the helpless, obedient dog she is!” The corpse laughed, bringing her arm up to her mouth and giggling, “How adorable!” It turned, walking back towards the empty table, her stark naked body swaying in a false imitation of the strides of the living.
Lucien helped her up and steadied her swaying body as she left, leaving the kit and his jacket next to the computer terminal, “Give me a second, I’ll be right back to escort you out.” He only left her side for a short moment where he typed in the last fields of an application before sending it to the administration. Wrapping an arm around her shoulders to keep her standing on two feet and steady enough to walk, he spoke over his shoulder, “I’m done for tonight… you do your part and I’ll get to analyzing the data by tomorrow. I’ve already sent the application for our expedition, so there’s no immediate need for my presence.”
The necromancer stood in an egotistical stance as his voice dripped with sheer arrogance, “Yes, it’s always better to take the frightened little mouse back to the hole it crawled out from. Isn’t the outside reality just so wonderf-“ He was cut off by a crackling bolt of lightning arching across the room, Varon has only just managed to launch his own necromantic bolt of energy, both streams meeting just above the corpse that was currently being experimented on, sparks raining down while ethereal mist trailed off, leaving the faint wails of the undead to be heard. This was only a short encounter as the dead woman slammed against Lucien and pinned him against the wall, “It’s not very wise to attack a Necromancer in a morgue.” The corpse lightly rubbed her tongue against his neck before walking back to her place, looking down at Evie with an amused disdain.
Lucien wiped the slimy liquid off his neck as he’s turn to Evie, offering his elbow casually, “Shall we?” There was a slight shift in his tone, possibly hinting at some sort of wounded pride shrugged off in favor of forgetfulness and acceptance.
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Posted: Mon Nov 16, 2009 11:05 am
Evie felt herself cringe at Varon's laugh, her gaze focusing upon the floor as both hands clutched tightly at the strap of her bag. Dog? Her lips parted to speak, to protest, but nothing came out. She simply closed them again and bowed her head a bit further, trying to hide her flushed face. She looked mortified and terrified all at once, not sure which to feel the most. She kept her eyes averted from the naked corpse, refusing to look for two reasons; she was dead, and she was completely missing clothing. Still, she supposed a corpse wouldn't worry about keeping dressed. Was she acting how she would've in life, or was Varon speaking through her? Either way, Evie felt horrible.
She stood silently as Lucien offered to walk her out, lacking the energy to protest or really even move. She looked awkward, her toes pointed inwards and knees braced against each other, poorly balanced overall as if she'd fall if she attempted to move. So, she didn't. She waited quietly for Lucien's help. She felt like crying when Varon went on. Hadn't he said enough already..? The tears began to well up, lightly blurring her vision... and then she was sharply distracted by the sudden attacks.
Her head jerked upwards, wide eyes staring as the bolts met, her body cringing at the sound of the wails, then again as the body slammed against Lucien's. As the tongue was added in, she felt herself shudder, and she shrank back under the girl's stare, lowering her head again. She wasn't coming back here. She decided right then and there. If she wanted to meet up with Lucien again, it'd have to be outside of this place.
"N-nn..." A stammered little whimper escaped, and she peeked up at Lucien through her layer of hair, which hung more in her face than usual, the bright green eye looking horribly pitiful. It peered at his face, then lowered to his arm, and slowly her trembling one hooked with his. "Y-yes, thank you.. I'm s-sorry..." She pressed a little into his side, wishing she could turn invisible. Why couldn't she have that power instead of her own useless one? And why.. did she keep apologizing? She didn't look back this time. She kept her back to Varon and her head lowered, her arm tightening a little around Lucien's until she was practically clinging to him. But she didn't seem to notice. The body pressed into his side was shivering, and no longer just from the cold.
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Posted: Thu Nov 19, 2009 5:53 pm
As the doors of the morgue cosed behind them, Lucien had become aware of the furiously trembling arm that had been wrapped around his own. It wasn't until they reached the elevator and its doors had sealed that he turned around and wrapped his free hand around her. Her tall figure prevented him from having to bend his body too much and his arm reached up and grasped the back of her head supportingly. The embrace was a firm and comforting as a reminder that he was still here and air escaped his lips in an intermitten whistle meant to soothe her quivering mind, adding his own soft voice after a few seconds, "Come now, you're alright. Safe as can be."
This was something that Lucien would do to his step sister, from the faint slivers of memory that he had left of his life. He'd found that keeping a firm grip gave them the comfort and support that they needed so long as you gave in when you'd felt them pulling away.
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Posted: Thu Nov 19, 2009 6:40 pm
It seemed that she really hadn't realized how much she was clinging. Evie's mind was upon the other, that man's comments and the girl who'd frightened and then teased her. How had she let that happen? She was lettering herself be pushed around by dead bodies now. It... was humiliating, and pitiful. She needed to fix it. She was going to stand up for herself..! Tomorrow. She'd stand up for herself tomorrow.
She let out a long sigh, her cheeks bright red. She realized then that Lucien's hand was upon her head, and she resisted the urge to flinch away. It actually didn't feel that bad, and he wasn't mean like the other ones. She just hoped he wasn't looking down on her now too. She'd definitely revealed how pathetic she could be. Then again, most people would be alarmed by a body walking up and talking to them, wouldn't they?
"...sorry," she murmured at last, eyes still on the floor. She loosened her grip upon his arm, but she didn't leave his side. She wouldn't until they left the entire building, most likely. She highly doubted any more bodies would leap out at her. She didn't think she'd be worth the effort, but she was still scared. "I.. I knew there'd b-be bodies but... I d-didn't think..." She swallowed and trailed off.
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Posted: Fri Nov 20, 2009 8:11 pm
Lucien lowered his hand to rub her back consolingly before stepping back and to her side. He placed a hand at her head, her character was somewhat charming- cute, in other words. However, the truth of his words took on a bit more regretful and sombre tone, "I'm afraid that none are able to foresee what my partner would unleash." The very use of the word 'partner' to describe their relations seemed to have set him off into a slight train of thought.
According to the other, they weren't anything close to peers- just coworkers. Their skills seemed to complement each other, Lucien's analytical mind was sharp enough to examine the mounds of data Varon produced. However, his coworker never inquired or requested anything, but ordered and demanded. Yet he couldn't find it in himself to part ways. A strange sort of chemical bond- one that he had little idea of its potency.
The opening of the doors brought him back to reality. Before he had a chance to revert his speech to Evie and give her some last measures of comfort and reassurance, the receptionist had already called out to him, "Hey, mister! The confirmation letter by the administration has already arrived! The expedition you requested was accepted and you have been assigned leader. Your partner's request to stay behind was also granted. He will only be present to open the seals and escort the cargo back to the labs." The young man was eloquently thanked, a muttered, 'well... that was fast' followed soon after.
Yet, he did not stop even after having passed the doors of the lab. It might have been clear he intended on escorting her to the dorms. If only to keep her at ease, "You shouldn't apologise so much, you know..." He'd spoken slightly abruptly after looking back at Evie's bent frame. It was a sorry sight for him to see someone submit to that length, "It's not good for you. You give yourself far too little credit. Apologising so much isn't going to help you. Just breathe in and relax. Try not to give in to fear and intimidation. It'll only get worse."
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Posted: Fri Nov 20, 2009 8:33 pm
Evie's eyes shifted, peering up at him from their corners without really lifting her head. This felt strange. She felt his hand upon her back, and hers finally released his arm, allowing him to separate slightly. She hoped he wouldn't leave, that he wasn't just waiting for a chance to avoid her. He probably thought she was horribly clingy by now... So she felt immense relief when his hand settled upon her head again, and he didn't try to flee. He lips even tried to twitch into something of a weak little smile. But, it didn't last. He'd mentioned that man again, and her head bobbed in a slight nod and her eyes returned to the floor, watching her feet shuffle along it. She walked pigeon-toed, feet pointed inwards just a bit, and she was sure it made her look even more awkward. However, it was a habit that she hadn't been able to change.
The doors. That meant he'd be leaving soon, and she'd have to head back on her own... Was it dark? Yes, of course it was dark. She'd have to walk back in the dark all by hersel- "Eee-?!" She squeaked. She'd forgotten about the guy at the desk, and when he spoke up so suddenly, she couldn't help jumping. She was already much too on edge. So she jolted, bumping into Lucien, and then titled quickly away again. Her hand pressed to her lips, face flushed red as she realized the noise she'd made. It must've sounded horrible. She was so terrified that he'd come to pity and despise her for being so weak, yet she just couldn't.. get control of herself...
Wait, was he going outside with her? She blinked, and cautiously her head tilted, allowing her to peek up at him again from one eye. The other was fully blocked by her hair, parted, and maybe even cut, so hang over her cheek. It hindered her sight a bit, but since she kept her eyes mostly upon the ground anyway, she figured she wasn't missing much. That was exactly where her gaze returned to, yet again, after he'd spoken too. "Sor-" She barely stopped herself from apologizing for her apologizing, and the realization kept her blush glowing brightly. "...u-um, I mean.. I'll try to w-work on it..." Then she breathed in and relaxed. Or, she tried to. She sucked in a puff of air, her shoulders rising as she held it, and then sinking again when she let it out in a long stream. Then she tried to tell herself it'd made her feel better.
"You... don't have t-to walk me back..." she said after a pause, her fingers poking together nervously. Another pause, resting the tips of her pointer fingers together, and she peeked toward him once more. "You're... g-going on an expedition..?"
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Posted: Sat Nov 21, 2009 8:48 pm
Lucien laughed heartily as she corrected herself and tried to relax. The hand on her head wiggled in a gesture of affection, "Hahahaha... don't worry. It'll come to you in time. Practice is another step closer to achieving perfection." He lowered his hands to her shoulder and gave it a reassuring squeeze, "True... I don't have to. But it's always a pleasure to walk you to your residence. I enjoy your company... that's more than enough for me."
Lucien nodded, he was actually excited to go. Not only was it critical for saving countless lives, but it also provided some opportunity to discover the details of his lineage, "Yes, we are heading out to a newly unearthed catacomb that belonged to a powerful dynasty of our western civilisation. Varon did most of the work, as usual, but I managed to pin-point its location by studying the history of this clan of nobles." His voice seemed to have regained an energy and his body tensed with excitement, "My adoptive mother told me my mother was part of one of these powerful ruling families, so there's always that... but I'm anxious to see this rich vault that most likely contains a vast record of historical information and even artefacts."
He took a few moments to compose himself, taking deep breaths and closing his eyes for a few seconds before continuing, "Officially, we're only going to retrieve samples of people that died in a widespread plague. It'll help not only understand the impact of epidemics in modern times, but any mutation of its modern-day strains."
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