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...He's late.; (Open)
Topic Started: Apr 8 2010, 11:22 AM (633 Views)
Kayui
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And in the endless pause there came the sound of bees.
Veronique was a young woman with many skills. From the magic arts to swordplay, a bit of gymnastics, chess, and so on, she had long been told from an early age that she was a typical prodigy of the Lacroix line. However, she had developed one skill that evaded most of her tutors – money management. It was a skill few people had, and even fewer made use of, but right now she was making a mental spreadsheet of her expenses, and it was piling up.

There were the tuition fees, which Hyakuji had wanted nearly 70% of up front for registration .There was the long and monotonous train ride all the way out here, as well as the driver service she would make use of once she arrived. There were books, room and board, and any number of additional “fluff” fees in-between.

There could be no doubt – Hyakuji came with a heavy price tag, but it was more than manageable thanks to her recently acquired family fortune. Unlike her uncle, Veronique had seen fit to hire two exceedingly overqualified Japanese accountants to keep track of virtually every cent of the Lacroix’s billions, with one accountant constantly double-checking the other just to be sure. There could be no mistakes if the money were to ever grow.

For now however, Veronique did her best to put her thoughts of money away and drink in the new scenery. Hyakuji had such a docile atmosphere…was this really that special of a place? The young Lacroix heiress currently found herself standing in front of the train station’s front entrance, with a pair of large black roller suitcases flanking her on either side. She was dressed rather plainly – a pair of long tan slacks secured by a black belt, a sleeveless orange top with a crisply folded collar, and a pair of nondescript white-black-and-gold sneakers.

She sighed and glanced down impatiently at an elegant, bronze wristwatch. So far, her driver was fifteen minutes late. This would have to change if he wished to keep his job. Besides, this was Japan. Weren’t they known for being early? Something seemed rather out of place. After strumming the top of her suitcase with her fingers for several moments, she sighed again.

“Ennuyeux…” she trailed off, lacing her French accent with about as much annoyance as she could muster.
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As the train slowed to a halt, Heaven rose calmly and reached for her things from the storage area above her head. A tiny buzzing sound and the peaceful voice of the conductor announced their arrival to Hyakuji. Outside children ran around laughing playfully, their parents scolding them, trying to keep them away frmo the platform and under control. Heaven would have smiled, accept for the fact that she could feel every mans stare like a burning brand into her figure as she reached for her gear.

Turning around with a loud 'click' of her heels on the smooth floor, she smiled benignly at the men who stared back at her unashamed, and the women who scowled at her. The faces changed from embarrassment when she pulled out her bible and clasped it on her belt, to fear when she pulled out the long baton and slid it into her belt. Her smile never faltered as she clasped her hands together and bowed her head to the passengers, most of who were either trying to pretend to be doing something else, or sat ashamed as their wives chided them.

"God Bless, and praise Him for delivering us safely to our destination," she said softly, not loudly, but loud enough so most could hear her. Several people halfheartedly muttered amen and everyone now moved to exit the train. Heaven purposefully strode out of her seat near the window, stepping her heel into the foot of the man who was sitting next her, who barely even noticed his eyes were so glued to her chest. She calmly strode out of the train, thanking the conductor once more as she left, bowing her head to him as was the tradition here. The smell of the station immediately hit her, the smell of unwashed bodies, human filth, and sin assaulting her senses. Heaven merely stood there for a second, taking it all in, observing her surroundings a bit before walking towards the exit, careful not to trip over any small children in her high heels. A few pages from her book fell on the outside of the train door and she whispered a prayer under her breath as she walked out of it.

There was a small amount of confusion as the men leaving behind her seemed to slam up against an invisible wall, their wives walking through easily. His nose crumpled, blood running down his chin, and his cries drew several stares. After a few minutes of agitation, one of the papers blew away, and the men were able to walk through once more, eyeballing the door warily, their wives berating them for being so slow. Heaven payed it no mind, settling the chain around her waist and checking her baton in a businesslike manner, waiting patiently with her arms crossed for her escort to the church. Pushing her glasses up on her nose she watched the entrance way and her immediate area, keeping an eye out for any mischief.
Edited by Blessings, Apr 8 2010, 05:04 PM.
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Kayui
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And in the endless pause there came the sound of bees.
Several more minutes passed, and along with them came a steady flow of people. Some were coming, others were going, but all of them were moving, which was more than Veronique could say. She felt a little bit like a park statue, forced only to watch as the world around her changed and advanced. It wasn’t that she was impatient. Nothing was on her schedule for today other than moving into her dorm room, and perhaps an afternoon walk through the city. She had been looking forward to that walk, though it now appeared she would have to take a taxi, adding even more time to her trip. No matter how simple her plans, the young heiress found that life always found a way to interfere if it wanted to. Wherever her assigned driver was, he wouldn’t be making any money today.

She took one last glance down at her watch. Twenty-seven minutes late.

Sighing yet again, she took up the handle of each of her large black roller suitcases and began approaching the nearest cab, before suddenly freezing mid-step. A faint tickle fluttered across the back of her neck, the tiny hairs standing on end. Veronique had been around magic long enough to sense when it was being used, though this particular brand of magic carried with it a strange…clarity. Ah, of course – the Holy sort. She glanced behind her, and though she wasn’t proficient enough in her sensory skills to pinpoint its source, she could definitely tell it had come from inside. It was then that a fairly tall woman in heels stepped forth, and if her exotic clothing style didn’t give her away as a magic-user then nothing else would. It boggled Veronique’s mind – did people not find subtlety valuable in magi anymore?

Veronique stared at the woman for a short moment, as if to confirm her suspicions. It wasn’t a hard stare; it wasn’t a malicious or challenging stare, but an empty one. There was no emotion written in the crimson eyes of the young teen as she looked, but the moment was over more quickly than it had begun.

“A frivolous use of magic on the unsuspecting public,” she thought. “Careless.”

It was then that the true absurdity began.

“Theif, thief! Someone stop that man!” a woman shouted in Japanese, pointing frantically at a young man sprinting down the pavement with a purse in his hands. He was dressed in a dark blue Japanese schoolboy uniform, and roughly a few inches taller than Veronique herself. A robbery was actually taking place in broad daylight in front of dozens of potential witnesses. Unfortunately for the young Lacroix, he was headed right for her.

A mental battle took place as Veronique considered her options. No, battle was the wrong term. It was more like a weighing of options and costs, a slow and calculated set of inputs that would result in one singlular output. Was she going to play the hero, or simply let him pass? Frankly, anyone stupid enough to commit a robbery in public deserved to get caught. On the other hand however, was any of it really her business?

“C’est des conneries…” she trailed off with disdain at the situation, before finally deciding to do her part as a new member of the Hyakuji community. As the sprinting figure passed, Veronique stuck her foot out at just the right moment, watching as the would-be master thief tripped, then stumbled, and then finally fell to the ground, his face smashing into the pavement with a sickening slap as the purse tumbled from his grasp. Veronique shot a brief glance over at the high-heeled woman from earlier as if to say, “See? No magic required”.

The young man lay there for several seconds, the sounds of the offended woman and the local authorities growing steadily closer. Finally the thief got to his feet, peering at Veronique with a mix of embarrassment and blind fury that twisted his features into something rather ugly. Then, he produced a small pocket-knife and approached Veronique with a sinister expression.

“You wanna die, bitch?” spoke the young man, his Japanese peppered with slang.

“Ta Gueule, connard.” She purposefully spoke in French, just to piss him off even more.

“Foreign whore! I’ll teach you to disrespect me!” he exclaimed, lunging forward with his weapon.

Veronique made no move to evade him, but just as the man’s blade came within cutting range…
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"Ennuyeux..."

Heaven's ears perked up at the French, but she made no notice of it. She didn't see the man robbing the older woman, and frankly she wouldn't have cared if she did. She wasn't here for the sheep, she was much more interested in what the wolves were up to. Her orders were clear, and unless it affected her she wouldn't bother with any interruptions.

“Thief, thief! Someone stop that man!” an elderly voice shouted from down the platform. Heaven merely sighed inwardly, her face neutral, and headed for the exit. She decided not to wait for her escort anymore, and headed for the entrance-way to the station. Of course, she had to walk by the French girl, who she could not really see from behind.

"C’est des conneries…"

Heaven shook her head slightly, she could see what was coming like a vision from God himself. 'What a foul mouth for someone so young...' she thought to herself. Almost as if rehearsed the man ran by the girl in front of her, not watching where he was going. His foot tripped over the girl, and he sprawled out on the ground. Gasps and horrified screams sprang up from those around the man as blood exploded from his mangled nose. Heaven could see the police coming from down the platform, but they couldn't see what was going on at their end. Heaven said a small prayer under her breath, her arms glowing slightly. To the naked untrained eye, no one would even notice it. Her faith flowed into her arms and she readied herself for what was to come.

You wanna die, bitch?” said the young japanese boy.

Ta Gueule, connard.” the girl replied, haughtily.

Foreign whore! I’ll teach you to disrespect me!” the man said, stabbing at the girl. Heaven took the opportunity to step between the pair and the police, blocking their view. With one hand she gripped the small blade, bright red blood dropping from her hand like water. With the other, she spread her hand over the mans face, his nose crunching slightly as she gripped it hard. A squeal came from the mans mouth, and his body went limp from the pain, but he didn't fall.

"The eyes of the Lord are everywhere, keeping watch on the wicked and the good. The tongue that brings healing is a tree of life, but a deceitful tongue crushes the spirit. A fool spurns his father's discipline, but whoever heeds correction shows prudence," she said quietly to the man, her eyes flaring.

Various cracks and pops came from underneath her hand on the mans face after a few seconds, accompanied by light whimpers from the man. His eyes were wide and dilated, like a sheep caught in the clutches of a hungry wolf. Heaven merely smiled at him, removing her hand. All traces of his injury were gone, and when he wiped the blood off of his face with a dirty sleeve, it was like nothing had ever happened. The boy was still for a second before turning around and dashing off to the exit, disappearing into the crowd, who by now were making their way out with downcast eyes, not wanting to become part of whatever had just happened.

Lightly, Heaven reached down and picked up the woman's purse with her non-bloody hand, handing it to the French girl.


Edited by Blessings, Apr 9 2010, 06:22 PM.
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Kayui
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And in the endless pause there came the sound of bees.
Veronique had almost been startled. Almost.

The woman’s movements were all so fluid and sudden, yet exacting at the same time. It certainly was impressive to watch, even if Veronique hadn’t been expecting an intervention from this complete stranger. Nonetheless, she was thankful. Not because the young man actually posed a threat – no, dealing with him would’ve been like swatting an unusually large fly. She was merely thankful she hadn’t been forced to use her talents in public on her first day in Hyakuji. It just wouldn’t have been worth the trouble, and what would it have proven? That she could beat up on common thugs?

No, that just wouldn’t do.

Let others handle the dirty-work; Veronique preferred to watch, at least for now. Now with one hand on the young man’s weapon and the other on his face, the tall and powerful woman began channeling more of that familiar magic into her arms, its unbridled purity sending a sickening shiver up Veronique’s spine. It was so clean and spotless – where did energy like that come from? The effects were apparent almost immediately. The man squirmed in pain at first, whimpering like the animal he was, only to suddenly freeze as if captivated by something Veronique couldn’t see. Then, a new set of noises started.

The sounds coming from the tall woman’s grip were rather unusual, and it took Veronique a moment to realize just what was happening. She was crushing his skull. She was actually crushing his skull with her bare hand. At this, Veronique grew troubled. He may have been a thief, but a man’s life was hardly worth a minor offense like purse-snatching. The most disturbing part of all of this however, was the words the woman spoke. Now, Veronique was hardly what one would call a regular reader of The Bible, but she knew enough to recall that the lines were from the book of Proverbs, though she could hardly be bothered to recall the chapter or verse.

Something about the way the “Holy” words were uttered didn’t settle right. The strange woman’s smile was unnaturally…genuine. It was a smile so frightening not because of its sinister nature, but in fact the lack thereof – a smile of someone completely convinced they were doing the right thing. Veronique took a small and uneasy step backwards from the situation unfolding in front of her, not even realizing at first that she had done so. Thankfully, things calmed down just as Veronique was about to voice her protest to this rapidly escalating situation. The young thief now had ownership of his body once more, but in light of recent events decided that a hasty retreat was better than having his brains littering the ground.

Veronique breathed a small sigh of relief, glad that she hadn’t been forced to dry-clean some poor boy’s bodily fluids from her pants. Those stains never really came out, after all. Gingerly, the woman bent down and retrieved the purse from the ground, offering it to the Lacroix heiress as if it were the most natural thing in the world. Veronique simply stared back at the woman, but made no move to take it.

“Oh, thank heaven!” came the cheerful voice of the purse’s owner, failing to realize the irony of her statement. “You both have helped me such a great deal, thank you!” She waited for a moment, expecting her purse to be given to her, but as she took note of the stare being shared between her purses’s two saviors she simply took the purse herself, before quietly blending back into the mass of nameless faces around them. No doubt the police would be returning shortly after their failed attempt at catching the young former-thief, hoping to get statements from the two heroes of this little story.

A long moment passed before Veronique finally spoke.

“That was impressive,” she said, her French accent much more apparent now that she spoke Japanese. “Though I think you may have scared him away from church.” Her voice was flat, but a hint of amusement was written across her features.

“But please, forgive my manners. My name is Veronique Lacroix, and you are?” she asked, extending her hand in greeting.
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The young French girl merely stared at Heaven, as if judging her or appraising her. Heaven merely cocked an eyebrow and stared back, a small smile on her face, until she thought the girl was going to either kiss her or throw a punch. Just as she was about to just drop the purse and walk away, the elderly woman caught up to them, huffing and puffing, panting from the exertion of walking down the platform faster than a turtle.

Oh, thank heaven!” came a cheerful old voice. Heaven didn't catch the irony of the statement, her Japanese wasn't the best, so much was lost in translation. “You both have helped me such a great deal, thank you!

"Praise the lord," Heaven said quietly, handing the woman the purse without moving her gaze. The woman shuffled away, not sure what was going on here, but the younger girl looked like a student from Hyakuji, and she would rather not get into the middle of another fight. Without another word, the French girl and Heaven were left alone again, not so much as a curious stare in her direction.

That was impressive,” the French girl spoke up finally, a distinctly French accent pervading her words. “Though I think you may have scared him away from church.” The girl said it blandly, but seemed amused. Heaven doubted the girl even realized what she just saw, given the angle, but she didn't correct the girl.

But please, forgive my manners. My name is Veronique Lacroix, and you are?” the girl asked, holding her hand out.

Heaven smiled and reached into her pocket, wiping her hand off carefully with an expensive silk handkerchief. She doubted the girl wanted to grip a hand covered in blood. Holding the handkerchief in one hand, she reached out and gripped the girls hand softly with the other, before releasing it, not accustomed to greeting that way. "Anderson," she said simply.

Her gaze was drawn to the girl's arm, where a purple tattoo sat. The symbol seemed familiar, but Heaven couldn't place it. Perhaps Egyptian? Whatever it was, Heaven wondered why such a young woman would need a tattoo. 'Yet another lost lamb," she thought to herself.

"No one can hide from God, whether they go to church or not. My job is not to guide the lambs, merely cull them to be in line with His image," she said with an angelic smile on her face. "I doubt he was much of a believer, but he may find his way someday."

"Let's just hope he doesn't stray to far from the Path, the Devil is not the only thing waiting in the darkness for those who have lost their way permanently," Heaven said, a dangerous light creeping into her eyes momentarily, before returning to normal.

"Are you new to town or perhaps returning from a trip, Mrs. Lacroix?" Heaven asked, seeing the luggage Veronique toted.
Edited by Blessings, Apr 10 2010, 06:18 PM.
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Kayui
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And in the endless pause there came the sound of bees.
((OOC: Sorreh for the wait.))

Veronique watched as her newfound acquaintance took the time to thoroughly clean off the blood-caked hand before shaking Veronique’s own, though the handshake was unusually awkward and inelegant. It wasn’t the firm, businesslike handshake she had been expecting from someone of this woman’s noble poise, but perhaps handshakes were uncommon where she grew up. Nevertheless, at least the young Lacroix now had a name for this woman, albeit a last name, more than likely. At least she was finally showing some form of prudence, especially after her little public display just moments earlier. In any case, if Anderson was all she planned to give, then it was all Veronique needed to know.

For now.

“A pleasure to meet you, Ms. Anderson,” she said, taking note of the woman’s appraisal of her tattoo but saying nothing. After all, Veronique had to be prudent as well.

Ms. Anderson’s next words sounded like the canned speech of every religious extremist to ever walk the earth. Cull them into His image? When were people going to learn that religion at the point of a gun, a sword, an improvised explosive, or even a magic spell was never going to solve anything? All it did was feed an already destructive cycle of hate and disorder that took lives, induced religious paranoia, and worst of all – caused massive amounts of economic losses for both sides. A small flicker of pity for this woman almost induced Veronique to verbalize some of this, but before she could even find the words the woman spoke yet again, and this time her voice was…different.

Different like it had been when she recited those lines from Proverbs. It was even accompanied by a shimmering light that flickered across her eerily calm hazel eyes, flashing like warning lights that signified something very wrong within the confines of Ms. Anderson’s mind.

Before Veronique could fully register the event however, the woman was speaking again, and this time it was a question aimed at her. For now, she’d put her personal opinions aside.

“It’s my first day here, actually,” she said, her hands finding a grip on either of her suitcase handles and resting there as she spoke. “I was scheduled to be picked up, but it seems my driver doesn’t wish to collect his pay.” Veronique paused here, her eyes turning back to the side of the street and eyeing the line of taxis that stretched almost the entire length of the front entrance.

There was still no sign of him.

Veronique turned back to Ms. Anderson and sighed. “I was nearly about to take a taxi when before all that trouble started…but it’s not the end of the world.” She allowed herself a pleasant smile, finding solace even in this simple conversation.

“What about you?” she now asked, a slight tilt in her head indicating her curiosity. “Are you new around here as well?”
Edited by Kayui, Apr 13 2010, 10:29 AM.
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Heaven smiled at the girl and shook her head, checking her watch. "Sorry, child, I don't have much time," she said lightly. In reality, she wasn't much for small talk, it just wasn't her forte. She could use more information about the town, but she didn't want to rely on any of the people from here just yet.

Sidestepping around the girl's questions, she gathered her things and pulled a set of keys from the outer pocket of a suitcase. "Do you want a ride anywhere?" Heaven asked politely. The man who was supposed to meet her was still not around, possibly due to some unknown interference. She decided to go look for the car that was prepared for her and just drive around until she found what she needed. "I'm in need of a change of scenery."

The police were talking to the old woman, and they were all scanning the crowd now, undoubtedly looking for the woman's 'saviors'. Heaven didn't need the publicity just yet, so she picked up her things and walked confidently towards the exit, not looking around. The police were behind them, and it was only a matter of moments before they realized where they were unless they left now. "If you are coming with me, then hurry, otherwise, go in peace Miss Lacroix," she said over her shoulder.

Heaven walked into the parking lot, clicking the key-less entry on the keyring, hearing a chirp from two rows over. Walking around, she noticed the lights on a black Chevy Silverado with a crew cab blinking, and it took her a moment to connect the two. 'An American truck? Here? Thanks for making it inconspicuous...' she thought to herself. Sighing, she unlocked the truck, putting her luggage behind the driver seat.

Brushing off her hands, she stuck the key in the ignition and rolled the windows down, letting the cool breeze dry some of the stickiness from being in the disgusting train station. Her hair blew lightly as she stood there waiting for Veronique to either show up, or decide to take another option. Her IPhone was blinking and she took it out, seeing a message from Iscariot. Apparently her escort was hung up, something about high school students and magic. Sighing, she tossed her phone in the truck and turned on the radio, the sound of hard rock easing her mind a bit.
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Kayui
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And in the endless pause there came the sound of bees.
Veronique waited patiently for a reply that never came, as Ms. Anderson dodged the question with such a practiced ease that the young Lacroix heiress had to give a light cough to avoid laughing out loud. Was it really all that hard of a question? Not that Veronique could complain; she’d dodged a number of simple questions ever since leaving France. Obviously there was something more important on her mind than chit-chat, and that was perfectly understandable. The young Lacroix wasn't one for small-talk either, though she found it made getting important information much easier.

Veronique then watched as Ms. Anderson produced a set of keys from the front-zipped pocket of her luggage, offered to give the young woman a ride, and hurried off into the parking lot as if she were being followed by the devil himself. There had been no chance to give a reply to the woman’s offer, but if she had been given the chance, “Why, of course,” would have been her curt reply. Grasping her own luggage firmly as she followed a few feet behind, Veronique had a thought. This thought reminded her that if her arms got tired, there were always her “other” arms, waiting to be used at any time. Why not use them now? They were so much stronger than her natural ones, after all. The young magus shook her head briefly, loosing the thought from her mind like a dog shaking off rainwater.

“Magic is not a toy,” she quietly reminded herself, “And it is never a substitute for anything you can do with your own two hands.”

This indoctrination had come from both her parents and various teachers in the guild, who valued subtlety above all else when it came to the use of magic. Minimize the casualties. Minimize the property damage. Minimize your magic signature at all times.

Veronique was no expert in American made cars and trucks, but only a dullard couldn’t recognize a bleeding Chevy when they saw one. It was a big and black truck of the usual design, though comfortably arranged with a crew cab so that its occupants could actually breathe when more than three people wanted to sally forth. Ms. Anderson seemed disappointed by the vehicle for some reason, as if it weren’t the one she were expecting to find. Hadn’t those keys been her own? Ah well, it made little difference. Arranging her own luggage behind the passenger-side, she closed the rear door and took one last look at the airport behind her, and sighed. Firing people before you had a chance to meet them just seemed so…unprofessional. Nevertheless, this fiasco would not happen again.

Stepping up and into the passenger-side of the Chevy, Veronique took her seat, closing the door before carefully smoothing out the wrinkles in her tan slacks. “I’m heading to Hyakuji High School,” she said, “Do you know how to get there? I have directions if you need them.” When she said “directions”, what Veronique really meant is that she had memorized every turn and every street name before her arrival here, trusting more in her memory and keen sense of direction than any Mapquest Japan listings.
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