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 Posted: Wed Sep 01, 2010 1:38 am
It was raining again.
I suppose that's to be expected, Clarissa mused as she held out a hand to the rain. Enjoying the feel of the cold water slipping through her fingers, she released a blissful sigh. Twirling her umbrella about her, she skipped along the pavement with a giggle.
She had always loved the rainy season- For her, it seemed to wash everything away only to start anew once again.
It was dark out, but the lamp posts provided her enough light to see the way home. But as she passed by a building, she noticed a group of sketchy guys; maybe around three to four people dressed in a green school's uniform (which she would soon come to know as Hillworth Grammer School's uniform) smoking cigarettes, and god knows what other items they might have had. Eyes narrowing into an expression of disdain, "Delinquents, huh?" She pretended to ignore them, as she quickly made her way down the street.
A futile attempt, as she had already caught their attention. Matching his strides to her's, "Hey there, babe. You want to hang out with us?" One dark-haired guy said, abruptly grabbing her arm. His tight grip left bruise marks on her skin, causing her to wince in pain.
Jerking her arm away, "Get away from me." She said, in a cold tone, while glaring at the strange boy.
"C'mon, we can have some fun~"
The other boys snickered, causing Clarissa to stiffen up in an indignant manner. "I don't think so." She replied, as she tried to walk faster to shake the boy off. But he continued to persist in his efforts, leading her to sigh in exasperation. "Would you please leave me alone?" But her answer was met with a revolting hand swing around her shoulder as he pulled her closer to him.
"Why should I?"
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Posted: Wed Sep 01, 2010 1:55 pm
"Because the lady asked you to, that's why," Tony butt in, instantly regretting it, but trying to hide it from his face. He looked around at the young men, green eyes settling on the one that seemed to be hassling the young girl so much.
The librarian was standing with his cane in front of him, both hands resting on the head of it in his best 'intimidating adult' pose. He watched the boys warily, sternly, not about to take lip back from ruffians. He had to deal with them sometimes in the library, and at least knew how to act like a professional, mildly impressive adult when he needed to.
Even though he was worrying in the back of his head about how stupid it was to get involved in things like this.
He couldn't help it: he had a hero complex that was just too strong to ignore. If he saw someone in trouble, from needing a dollar on the street to being stuck in a burning building and any thing in between or beyond, Tony had to help. He had to get involved, and do what he could, everything he could, to help. There was no other option for him: if he didn't do something, who else would? And why should he leave it to someone else?
He was here, now, when help was needed.
"I would advise you let her go," he said as calmly as he could muster.
And here he was, talking down to what looked like angry teenagers who had that 'who gives a s**t' attitude they so often carried these days, when really all he had been doing was walking home. He really needed to move some place nicer, where the neighborhood wasn't so rough. Or something. But at least he could take solace in the fact that he was, perhaps, going to save this girl from more trouble than she deserved. He hoped, anyway. It would be embarrassing, otherwise.
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Posted: Thu Sep 02, 2010 6:23 pm
She had been ready to call someone but it seemed as if he had saved her the trouble.
"Because the lady asked you to, that's why."
She regarded the newcomer with a touch of wariness uncertain what to make of him. He didn't appear to look particularly strong, certainly not strong enough to take on three guys at once.
"Oh yeah, what are you supposed to be?" The boy sneered, smirking to his friends behind him. "Some sort of cripple?" He laughed as if were some sort of funny joke but Clarissa could only cringe at the harshness of his words.
She found no humor in the situation or in such meaningless ridicule. Sparks of anger flashed in her eyes, "How dare yo-" She began but she was interrupted by a painful grip on her shoulders. "E-Excuse me..!" But it wasn't directed at her she soon realize, his gaze now focused on the newcomer. Teeth clenched, eyes twitching, and pupils dilated, he looked as if he was crazy.
Oh, god. She certainly hoped he wasn't.
Before she knew what was happening, the dark-haired boy shoved her aside with such force she fell to the ground. He suddenly lunged forward with his fists clenched, yelling "Don't act like you're all high and mighty, you a**!"
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Posted: Thu Sep 02, 2010 7:16 pm
Crap.
Tony watched the young man keenly, noting the strange way he reacted to the older man's orders. He had been silently hoping the kids would skitter away because, oh no, an adult was telling them off and they would get in trouble. But kids these days didn't seem to have that fear any more. They didn't respect anything, least of all their elders, so the intimidation effort had failed entirely.
And now he was in a fight he was fairly sure he couldn't win. Three young, strong looking teens with chips on their shoulders? And a clear anti-authority streak about them, to boot.
Double crap.
"Hey!" he said angrily when he saw them shove the poor girl, his hero complex kicking into overdrive. He didn't care if they called him a cripple, or if they tried to fight with him (well, he cared a little, since he was sure he would get killed), but once they attacked a defenseless girl they had already been hassling, as far as he could tell... that was the last straw.
They would get a very stern talking to now.
Or not.
"Good lord," he yelped, pulling back as best he could when the boy lunged at him. He pulled his can up as well, to block or defend, though he didn't swing it. "Settle down!" He yelped, "there's no need to get violent!"
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Posted: Fri Sep 17, 2010 3:33 pm
She fell to the ground with a shriek, as she landed on her knees.
The boy rushed forward, throwing sloppy punches and kicks in the man's direction. A few connected, but most missed which seem to frustrate the boy further.
Meanwhile, Clarissa observed the fight with a grim frown. The rough cement grazed her knees, but she seemed to barely notice the blood. Rising to her feet, she rushed to the middle of the fight. Blocking the other two boys' path, she lifted her cell phone to her ear.
At first, they were confused. "What the ******** do you think you're doing, girl?" One of them fairly growled, as the other one halted in steps.
"Hello, Officer Shirou?" It was a well-known officer's name within the district, "I'm reporting a fight in the third district.. Yes.." She shut the phone off, and turned to them with a cold smile. "Go ahead, and try." Her voice was soft, but her tone menacing. "If you care to get caught, that is." She knew that there was a chance she could get hurt. But she doubted it; their kind was selfish. They were always quick to abandon another in times of trouble.
Betting on this fact, it was a gamble she was willing to take.
Their faces darkened, their anger obvious, "Damn b***h!" They muttered, before they ran off leaving their friend alone.
What language! A sigh of relief escaped her but she knew that the fight wasn't completely over yet.
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Posted: Fri Sep 17, 2010 8:07 pm
Tony wasn't really interested in hitting kids, and really wished he hadn't gotten in to this fight, so he did his best to defend himself. At one point, though, before she stepped in, he lifted his cane and thwacked one of the kids upside the head with it. He held back, though, not wanting to do any serious damage.
Even if they were punks who weren't holding back with him and totally deserved to be floored.
When she stepped in he instinctively moved forward, protectively at her side, mostly like a human shield. If they went after her, he would block, which he seemed at least to be good at. Maybe he was just better at defense than attack, which was why he hadn't been much in the actual 'fight'.
Either way, he watched them carefully, seeing some run off when she called the police. He sighed, liking the odds better now. One on one he could handle. Maybe? "Stay back," he said to the girl, looking at her with a worried expression. The boy seemed to have it out for her, and Tony wasn't going to let her get further hurt by him. He didn't miss the scratches from being shoved on her knees.
He focused on the last boy, holding his cane like a bat now.
"Maybe you should take the example of your friends, and get out of here before you get into more trouble," he said warily, trying to make it sound threatening.
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Posted: Thu Oct 07, 2010 2:18 pm
Watching his friends run away, the boy stared after them with disbelief- Which was soon replaced by angry determination. "All bark, and no bite huh?" remarked the boy with a cocky grin. He didn't need the help of his friends- He could handle this wimp on his own!
Hell, there was no reason to fear a man who couldn't fight.
His smirk was accompanied by the rearing of his fists as he staggered forward. "C'mon, you coward." He sneered, with a provoking laugh. "Fight!" Running headfirst, he tackled the man to the ground. The forces of the impact sent them both rolling, the thrashing of fists a mere blur.
It happened too fast, too much. "No!" shrieked Clarissa, as a horrified gasp escaped her—
She hadn't meant to say that. Her hands instantly flew to her mouth, as if to muffle her protest. She didn't want to distract him- a distraction would allow an opening to strike. She didn't dare step in to help, knowing her lack of experience would only be a hindrance instead. The situation left her helpless to watch instead, until the police arrived.
Heart beating rapidly in her chest, "Please, let him be allright" She prayed.
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Posted: Thu Oct 07, 2010 2:48 pm
Tony watched the boy as he seemed to hesitate. His friends were gone: he surely wouldn't attack an older, cane wielding man on his own, would he? Tony knew he was no fighter these days, but he had been able to hold his own when he was younger, and recent events had made him rethink his peace policy.
He really needed to start going to the gym. This whole thing made that a very obvious fact now.
When the boy charged Tony had little time to react, his leg giving out on him and the both of them sprawling to the floor. Fists were flying everywhere, but Tony was doing his best to keep himself focused. As much as he wanted to flail and kick, he had to be smart. The kid was younger and faster, but at least Tony had his cane on his side.
Attacking a cripple meant dealing with the consequences, and Tony did not find it unfair to use a weapon in this fight. He didn't go for the head, not wanting to do serious damage, instead slamming the metal pole into the boy's gut and shoving him away. If that didn't knock the wind out of him, or even cause him to black out, Tony didn't know what would.
Dizzy from being punched a couple of times, and from the adrenaline rush, he struggled to his feet, leaning on his cane heavily.
"Are you alright?" he asked the girl, as if he might have missed something in the fray. He felt a sting from his eyebrow being split open by a lucky punch from the kid, a small tickle of blood running down his face. He would probably have a black eye for that.
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Posted: Tue Oct 19, 2010 1:40 pm
His concern for her— even when injured, was touching. "I wasn't the one punched." She said weakly, as she rushed forward to help him to his feet.
Sliding an supporting arm around his back, she began to lead him towards and a nearby bench. It was no easy task, but her efforts were nothing compared to his. "It must be difficult to stand.. Please, sit down." She urged softly as she lowered his body down the chair.
"I'll be gone, for only a minute."
She returned with a wet cloth. Revealed to be a pink handkerchief, she leaned forward and dabbed it against his brow. She then pressed the cloth gently against the cut, adding pressure to stop the bleeding. There were still smears of blood but at least, he was no longer bleeding. Good, she sighed inwardly relieved that it wasn't a fatal injury. She didn't know what she would have done otherwise.
Both were silent as she attended to his injuries. She slowly looked up, and her gaze met his. "How do you feel now?" She murmured, as took her hand away.
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Posted: Fri Oct 29, 2010 11:03 am
Tony smiled as she came over to help him, nodding and trying to walk like he was fine, but he was certainly glad for her help and for the support of his trusty cane. And here he thought he wouldn't like having the thing. So far, it had been rather useful to him, more than just for walking.
He sat down slowly, sighing a bit in relief. The adrenaline was circulating out of his system and he felt his heart slowing back to something reasonable in pace. He looked like he was going to say something as she moved away from him, but she was gone before he could. Frowning thoughtfully, he leaned back on the bench and waited for her to return.
"Oh, you don't have to..." he began, though he didn't stop her when she pressed the cloth to his head. He closed his eyes, then opened the one on the opposite side to watch her.
At her question he grinned goofily.
"Oh, I'm feeling pretty good, actually. I'm pretty sure that counts as a win for me, right? It's not every day I actually win a fight. Of course, it's not everyday that I'm in a fight... uh. I'm babbling. A-anyway, I'm fine now. Yes, thank you for asking. And you're sure you're okay?"
He knew she had already answered, but it had been a bit of whirlwind, and he had lost track of things. He was just glad to be the one (mostly) standing at the end. And that she hadn't been hurt, as he knew those boys would not have played nice with her if they, especially that ring leader, had been so eager to fight a man twice their age.
At least they learned a lesson about that. Maybe.
"Do you have a way to get home?" He asked, concerned, "wouldn't want those guys to come back if you're walking anywhere."
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Posted: Tue Nov 02, 2010 6:21 am
She couldn't possibly understand how he could be laughing in such a situation.
But his goofy manner brought a smile to her lips.
"Please, allow me." It had been her fault in the first place, it was the least she could do. Dabbing gently at his wounds, she found herself studying him. He was certainly handsome- it was such a shame for his face to be marred by such senseless brutality.
In an effort to lightening their spirits, "That's a win, certainly." She re-confirmed with a laugh.
"Well, I'm glad it's not everyday— It'd be such a waste for a man like yourself to be included in with the rest of the idiots out there." She understood he was better than that- the way he had purposely refrained from striking others unless it was absolutely necessary. For that, she admired him. She had no respect to anyone who quickly resorted to their fists. It may have been because of her up-bringing, but she firmly believed that such violence is unbecoming on a person.
Her hands dropped to her side in quiet contemplation as she listened to him babble on. "I'm okay." She just wasn't used to impromptu fights, was all.
"I was originally planning to walk home.. but with the commotion, my father will probably send for a chauffeur." She didn't doubt it was safer than walking home.. But in the case of the men's return, she didn't want him walking home either. "May I offer you a ride.."
It was then she realized she hadn't asked his name. ".. Mr..?" In the midst of the commotion, she had completely forgotten!
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Posted: Fri Nov 05, 2010 9:18 am
Tony winced a bit as her cloth found a particularly sensitive little spot on his head, though really he had been through worse. And at least these ruffians had been human beings, and not some crazy monster from god knows where, here to murder and steal shiny things from inside people.
He wasn't really a Youma fan. But who would be? Besides the bad guys, he supposed.
Surprised to hear that her father had a chauffeur, Tony nodded dumbly. At least that was nice for her, able to find a ride whenever she needed it. He wasn't certain what that was like, save for supplying himself with his own modes of transportation. Today, however, he had been walking when he ran into the trouble, and walking was how he would get home.
"Oh, it's fine, honestly," he chuckled, "I doubt they'll come back looking for round two. And if you saw my neighborhood, you'd wonder how I don't get into a street fight every day. It's nothing I can't handle, believe you me."
He blinked, though, realizing she had paused purposefully and he had missed his cue.
"Oh! Anthony Darrow," he said, offering her his hand politely, looking sheepish for it having been so long before he could properly introduce himself. "Tony, as most people call me. Resident librarian." He smiled.
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Posted: Sun Nov 07, 2010 3:30 am
"Are you certain?' Clarissa asked somewhat doubtfully, unable to imagine such a dangerous neighborhood. Where she lived, fights were generally frowned upon. If there was to be any sort of violence, it was to be done in a civilized manner. Backhandedly of course through the gossip mill, where scandals and rumours often ruined a person's reputation.
Mindless brutality, not so much.
She knew of the dangers on the street but never before had she been caught in such a fight. Haha, I suppose this is why Father always sends for a chauffeur. it was far safer for her to walk home than for her to walk home. One never knew what could happen..
Yet, despite everything that had happened.. she didn't entirely regret it.
"Anthony Darrow." She repeated softly to herself, with a warm smile. "I see." With a gentle grip, she shook his hand lightly. The sound of a car then pulled up, a quick glance revealed it to be her father's car. "Forgive me, but it appears if my ride has arrived." She said, with an apologetic smile. Sliding on her purse, she quickly rose to her feet.
However, before she rushed off.. "Well, Tony. Perhaps I'll be dropping by for a visit sometime then." She declared quite cheerfully before she took her leave.
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Posted: Sun Nov 07, 2010 5:04 pm
Tony nodded, smiling. He wasn't going to bother her for a ride, when he could simply walk. The last thing he wanted to do was be a further bother. "I'm certain, honestly. I'll be fine."
He just wanted to get home and put some ice on his face. If Nathan was there it meant Tony would have to recline as comfortably as possible on the sofa, rather than his own bedroom, as the grumpy teenager stole it whenever he was in. And the couch was old, full of springs, and a bit too small. Not conducive to resting well or recovering.
But it would have to do, he supposed, as he didn't have it in him to kick Nathan out. Even into the living room.
He looked over his shoulder to see the car pulling up.
"Of course, go on. I'm glad you weren't hurt. Have a good rest of the day. Better than this part of it, at least." He grinned cheekily, then waved as she left. He put his hand in his pocket, the other on his cane, and sighed, moving to begin his walk home.
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