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 Posted: Mon Sep 30, 2013 8:27 am
With a tired, but thoroughly satisfied sigh, Melian locked the backstage door of the theatre. She'd have to hustle if she wanted to make it back to her room in time to beat curfew, but she was confident that she could manage. Besides, it wasn't as if she had any early classes to worry about. Just a ridiculous curfew.
Still, as the silver-haired girl made her way back to her dorm building, she supposed that she couldn't blame people for creating such rules. Not when so many strange things happened in this city. It still rather seemed like overkill though. Why, she often walked home alone at night and no one, terrorist or not had ever bothered her.
Frankly, Melian thought the whole mess reeked of mass hysteria and silliness.
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Posted: Mon Sep 30, 2013 9:09 am
Jett had really meant to keep his word. He had thrown himself into work, into school, into their relationship. Into moving.
…If they hadn't moved in together it would never have come to this.
With Raven out working on a paper, he'd decided to make some settle in a bit more, move a few more things, unpack.
And then he'd found it.
Small, glistening. Just calling to him.
It had been like offering a smoker a cigarette two weeks after they'd quit.
The desire was still very raw, and his hand was nearly trembling when he reached out to grip the pen.
For half an hour he debated. For half an hour, he refrained. And then he caved.
Raven wasn't going to be home until much later. He could spare an hour. Just one.
He was as discrete as he could be. He pocketed the pen, even wrote a note in case she came home early. And he got in his car, parked, and meandered until he found a suitable place to power up.
And it felt great.
And there wasn't a single power signature in the area.
Which meant he was free to do whatever the hell he wanted. Just as long as he made it home before Raven.
In a mostly unfamiliar area, Remarque didn't expect he'd do much more than explore the area, maybe check on the wraiths, see if they were still misbehaving, and then head home.
Theoretically it would have worked. If he hadn't stepped out just in front of some poor girl. Expecting he had startled her, he immediately imagined she was going to run off, tell the papers, and it would be plastered all over the evening news that she had narrowly avoided some kidnapping plot by a man in a strange outfit.
He knew how identifiable he was once you tried to describe what he was wearing.
So yeah, that definitely wasn't going to go well with his plans. So he was just going to have to n** this catastrophe in the bud. He just had to distract her.
Innocently enough, he took a step back to offer a bit of personal space as he said, "Oh. Hello, there. What are you doing out so late, don't you know it's dangerous?"
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Posted: Mon Sep 30, 2013 9:23 am
Okay, so she'd been startled momentarily. But she wasn't about to show this guy that. Instead, she coolly arched an eyebrow and gave him a level stare. Well, no. She gave his chest a level stare since she didn't want to put herself at too much of a disadvantage by having to crane her head up. ******** tall people.
"Hello yourself," she replied in an amused tone. "Don't you know it's dangerous to go parading around town in that sort of get up. I'm sure any local skin heads or that like would be happy to introduce you to a crowbar."
Whether it was the dim lighting or simple inexperience or both, Melian hadn't connected this man with the city's ever-present terrorist threats. If anything, she had assumed that he was some theatre kid or cosplayer out goofing off. Only now she she give in and tilt her head back to silently appraise him.
Oh yeah, his outfit was practically begging every thug out there to come and smash his face in, please.
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Posted: Tue Oct 01, 2013 12:15 am
"I suppose, if you're afraid of skinheads. But I can't exactly say that I find them any bit intimidating. Any thug who wants to pick a fight with me is more than welcome to. But I won't be the one limping home."
He seemed a bit more relaxed now that the girl wasn't screaming her head off, but he wasn't going to just meander off without ensuring she wasn't running her mouth to anyone. Not that he particularly enjoyed talking about his outfit; it's not like he had any control over it, so far as he knew. He'd have loved for something a bit more discrete, but at this stage in the game he was just playing the cards he'd been dealt.
And he knew he'd have been a damned fool to go out wearing this if he wasn't prepared to defend himself.
Thankfully, being a senshi came with its perks. His arrogance was enough to compensate for any concern that would come with being out, dressed like this.
He was just used to it at this point.
"Shouldn't you be more worried about them taking advantage of a pretty young girl like yourself? I mean," he shrugged. "I know I can take care of myself. Can you?"
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Posted: Tue Oct 01, 2013 6:37 am
A very slight smile flickered across her face at that question. Just because she was tiny and a female to boot didn't mean she was helpless!
"Why should I be worried? I know where to hit and kick for maximum effect. I've got strong lungs. I'm not going to go through life worrying about what might happen."
Melian was really wishing that the lighting was better. She would have loved to get a really good look at this guy's clothes. The little she could see seemed pretty enough.
"Okay, so I'm stumped. Who the hell are you cosplaying? I don't recognize it. Or is there a community theatre production going on that I missed out on?"
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Posted: Tue Oct 01, 2013 11:03 am
Remarque blinked. This was not the first time he had heard the word cosplay, though what it actually meant was foreign to him. But he definitely knew he wasn't in a theatre production.
But then came the interesting part of actually explaining what he was doing wearing that.
"I'm not out playing dress up." He crossed his arms over his chest. Was that really even something people would do? Kids, sure, but adults?
She might have just been a civilian, but he'd been a sensh for so long he couldn't imagine anyone hadn't run into one of them.
…And if all went well, she'd be taking a trip to Mirrorspace in the near future and he'd have nothing to worry about anyway. "Haven't you ever heard of senshi before? Strange outfits, strange powers. Prowling the night, fighting with monsters, all that fun stuff?"
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Posted: Wed Oct 02, 2013 8:22 am
"Oh, so that's the pretty word they're using instead of terrorist," she murmured thoughtfully. "Well now I know."
Eying him with new interest, Melian couldn't keep from being a little mocking.
"So why aren't you out fighting monsters then?"
Not that she'd ever seen one of these monsters. Or known anyone who'd encountered one. Though she had dim memories of various news stories playing on the TV while she was busy with other things and had simply wanted background noise. Clearly, she should have paid more attention if they were mentioning monsters.
"Well, this has been a charming conversation, but you're in my way and I would really like to get home before curfew. I have s**t to do."
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Posted: Wed Oct 02, 2013 12:39 pm
Remarque scoffed. He was fairly easy to agitated, though she was just a civilian. This wasn't like bickering with a knight, or some foolish chibi. She was just a civilian, and she didn't know any better.
But he certainly wasn't going to feel guilty about tossing her in Mirrorspace.
"Interesting. You'd rather get home before curfew, when there's a whole world out there—a world most people don't get the opportunity to hear from. Much less see. A whole world I'm willing to show you. And alll you care about is curfew? …You know, you're a lot less interesting than I thought. But, by all means," he gestured, and moved to one side. "If you'd rather pass an offer like that up, I'll let it be your mistake."
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Posted: Thu Oct 03, 2013 6:10 am
Oh really now. Melian's interest sharpened as she gave the tall boy a level, icy glare. Again she arched an eyebrow and shifted her weight a bit.
"Bit of advice. Next time, try leading off with the interesting offers. Otherwise people will just think you're a bit of a showboat."
She went silent for a few moments and to judge by her expression, she was thinking and weighing the pros and cons of going off with a stranger who professed to fighting monsters for a living.
Finally, her eyes snapped back to find the boy's face and she gave him a lazy smile.
"You have ten minutes."
Challenge accepted.
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Posted: Fri Oct 04, 2013 1:21 am
Remarque wasn't about to take advice from her, but in as sweet a voice as he could muster he replied, "I'll be sure to keep that in mind."
Ten minutes was more than enough time to get what he needed. He turned a bit and gestured for the girl to follow. Mirrors were not hard to find, and even if he didn't frequent this area very often, he still knew that one was close enough. "This way," he instructed, leading the girl to one.
Standing in the darkness, just barely concealed and resting against a tree was a full length mirror. A little dirty, but it was in good enough condition.
He knew what to expect of this mirror, so it seemed only natural to approach it when he had the intent of mirror walking. Not that he expected the civilian to understand what she was walking into. He wouldn't be surprised if she thought he'd just taken a break to admire himself.
As much of a narcissist as he was, though, he had a plan in motion and intended to see it through. Half turning to face her, he extended a hand to beckon her. "And come closer. I need you near to me if I'm going to show you this. It won't take more than a moment, I assure you."
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Posted: Sun Oct 13, 2013 10:54 am
Who would leave a mirror leaning against a tree? Melian had followed the boy and watched his every move curiously. But at the moment, she was more interested in the mirror itself. It wasn't vandalized as so much was when left sitting out in the open and that, in and of itself, was a curious thing.
Upon being beckoned closer, she complied with a bit of a shrug. Why the hell not?
"Well, you're not how I expected the White Rabbit to look, but maybe I'm just being prejudiced," she muttered with a bit of a chuckle at her own expense. "Maybe the folks behind Once Upon a Time were onto something. We going through the looking glass?"
The slight girl was still laughing a little and about to chalk this all up to some whack-a-doodle out playing a harmless prank. Really, what had she been expecting when she'd followed him. Magic? Ridiculous notion!
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Posted: Sun Oct 13, 2013 11:37 am
Remarque briefly donned a skeptical look, not entirely sure what the girl was going on about for a second. Perhaps it was best he'd picked her up if she was already saying weird things. "Something like that," he replied.
He reached a hand out, taking her hand in his. His other hand rested atop the glass mirror. The surface rippled beneath his touch—and then his hand passed through. He didn't seem upset or pained; instead, he just seemed relaxed. He disappeared into the mirror, pulling Melian along with him.
There was a stark contrast in this room from the park; it had an unnatural brightness about it. Especially for looking like a room with no walls nor installed lighting. Mirrors were planted everywhere, empty.
Not for long, though. Remarque could just push her in one, leave her for a little while, drain her energy…
No one would know.
Things were going seamlessly up until that point. When the Black Mirror across the room pulsed.
Remarque felt the strange surge of energy from it, and he knew if he felt it, there had to be a damned good reason.
But it wasn't calling out to him, and it took him all of a second to realize it. His stomach sank as he looked at the girl next to him.
"…Did you feel that?" he asked, holding his breath.
Maybe it had been a fluke. Maybe it didn't want her. Maybe it was just hungry.
Or maybe she was a senshi.
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Posted: Sun Oct 13, 2013 2:19 pm
Funny how it was always the mundane little things that stood out when things got downright weird. Melian wanted to protest as her hand was taken, after all, she hadn't OK'd that. But then she was being pulled through the mirror, in the company of the weirdest dressed boy she'd ever met outside of a ren faire and all her brain could really focus on was how ridiculously small her hand was compared to the boy's.
Finding herself standing in the middle of an unnaturally lit room lined with mirrors with said weird boy should have sent her gibbering. Except she wasn't the gibbering sort. Though right at the moment, she might be willing to give it a try. Her mouth opened as if to speak, but the words died before they could even begin. Her attention was caught by a mirror across the room.
Her heart felt like it was beating, pulsing in time with something in the mirror. Mouth open and eyes dazed and wide, she didn't know whether to laugh or punch the boy when he asked if she'd felt... whatever. Raising a hand that trembled so so slightly, she pointed at the mirror.
"W-what...?" she asked breathlessly. She didn't know what she was feeling. All she knew was that for the first time in her life, she was afraid.
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Posted: Wed Oct 16, 2013 12:51 pm
Remarque blinked. "What, did you think I was lying or something?"
Of course she had. How could she not? It's not like everyone had any inclination of the war that waged in Destiny City. He couldn’t hold it against her.
His eyes went from the girl back to the mirror. "Here, walk over here. It won't hurt."
Probably.
"I told you I was going to show you a whole new world, so here it is. Feel free to look around. And when you're done taking all this in, come here."
To the mirror.
Despite the thin tendrils of smoke swirling along the walls, the room seemed still. Like time moved differently.
It didn't; Remarque had spent enough time here to know that nothing was particularly out of the ordinary.
Except for the Black Mirror.
Of which, he had little words to describe or explain. All he knew was that it had the ability to detect senshi and awaken them.
And right now, it seemed pretty damn interested in the girl next to him.
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Posted: Sun Nov 03, 2013 6:11 am
Still feeling dazed, Melian shook her head slightly at the boy's first question. Not exactly in negation. It was just... the question of whether or not she'd thought he was a liar was irrelevant at the moment. Instead, she made herself focus on him and on getting her feet to cooperate and take her closer to the pulsing mirror.
"So you did," she murmured lightly. And this was certainly a world she'd never seen before. As far as scenery went though, it was singularly dull. Or maybe she was just being biased. With an irritable shake of her head, she took a deep breath and made herself march up to the weird mirror.
Glancing at the boy, she arched an eyebrow and shrugged slightly. All the while wondering if he knew how much of it was sheer bravado. She was completely out of her element and not liking it. And she suspected that her normally pale skin had achieved a shade of paper white that advertised the fact to anyone who could see her.
"Well. What happens now?" she asked in a shaken voice.
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