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Post by Carole on Oct 3, 2003 15:13:00 GMT -5
[Character POV: Cain]
With a satisfied smile I write the last name on my list and safely tuck it away in a desk drawer. I lock it, and tuck the key into my pocket. It wouldn't due to have the list floating around the complex. It would give a person an extra warning. They might be even more cautious than normal, then I would never get the chance to slip them a dose.
I lean back into the chair and drum my fingers on the table. My headache has left me and for once the residents above me are silent. The grandfather clock chimes the hour.
Riff is likely still delivering letters and Merryweather....
I stop drumming my fingers. Just where was she anyway? She hadn't been around all day, which was strange. Merryweather is an intelligent girl, though. She knows which floors to stay away from.
I prop my chin in my hand again and start riffling through the papers on my desk. I should really create some sort of system to keep this in order. Riff usually handles that sort of thing, but I specifically told him not to touch things in my study. Not everything in here is safe.
One paper catches my eye, and I pick it up to read.
Memorandum to all Residents:
Hm. Riff must have collected this from my mailbox one day, and I neglected to notice it until now.
The Pool/Sauna on the roof has now been repaired after last weeks trouble. Feel free to use it once more. All towels are provided. And remember! The elevator does not go directly to the roof.
I place the paper back down on the desk.
I didn't know that was on the roof.
I'm not much for swimming, but the sauna is tempting. I look at the clock again. Ah, what the hell. I'm not busy anyway. At this time of day no one should be up there. Then I won't have to worry about anyone seeing my...
Before I can tumble down that road I grab my coat and head out the door towards the elevator. No sense in trudging up all those floors.
I reach the elevator and find that it's already in use by someone else. Not wanting to wait, (or risk the chance of running into someone) I decide to take the stairs.
The first few floors are blissfully uneventful.
6th Floor...only two more to go and then the roof.
I don't mind walking. I prefer it to other forms of transportation. It's especially nice on a breezy, sunny afternoon.
I'm passing the last door on my way to the next set of stairs when:
"The count's beautiful young sister? To what do we owe this unexpected honor?"
I stop. Turn. And look.
There's only one count in this building. And only one sister to a count. And that is a male's voice.
Resisting my first urge to barge through the door and demand the return of Merryweather, I set my jaw firmly and approach the door. Giving it three quick raps with my knuckles I step away and wait for it to open.
There's a murmur inside and then the door opens halfway. The gentleman who opens it look at me. Looks at my clothes. And then at Merryweather whose corset seems to have become loose...
Who's corset seems to have come loose!?!?!
I grab the door and push it all the way open, knocking the one whom had opened it a few paces back. There's another one in the room and I level them both (and Merryweather) with my best death glare.
"Just what is going on?" I demand, somehow managing to keep my voice from raising, but still giving it that nice 'The answer better be good or else' edge.
Merryweather can tell I'm angry and she's thinking fast.
"Oh, Big Brother, "she starts. She's putting on the charm for this excuse, so it's unlikely that these two swiped her off the stairs. My anger eases a little...but only very little. "Riff asked me to help deliver some of the mail."
I blink.
Not the answer I was expecting... I make a mental note to ask Riff what the hell he was thinking.
"Well. It seems that you've delivered the mail to these gentlemen. It's best that you go back down to our floor."
Merryweather starts to protest, but I level that with another look. She pouts and hops down from the couch she was on. She relinquishes the envelopes to the one sitting on the floor. He thanks her and she blushes slightly.
I, on the other hand, concentrate on not grabbing the nearest (and heaviest) object and leveling the scoundrels with hefty blows to the head. But since it seems no immediate harm has come to my sister, that would be rather ungentlemanly. I curse my gentlemanly nature to hell.
Merryweather practically glides across the room and out the door. I give each one of the men another look for good measure.
"Have a nice day, gentlemen."
I close the door behind me and look at Merryweather who is standing there. A picture of innocence. She does not fool me though.
"Take the elevator," I say. "Or would you rather I escort you down the stairs and back to the rooms?"
She pouts again, "You're no fun, Big Brother." I stay to watch her get into the elevator and to make sure she actually presses the right button.
"I expect you to be there when I get back, " I call to here before the doors close. She sticks her tongue out at me and the doors shut.
I rub my temples and continue up the stairs. Finally. The roof. It's empty, just as I expected.
I pass the pool and make my way towards the sauna, picking up one of the fluffy white towels along the way. There's a changing room next to the sauna, where I undress and fold my clothes into a neat stack. There are mirrors in here, giving me a clear view of my back. I sigh, wrap the towel around my waist, and enter the sauna.
[note: Jezebel is on the loose! Run!!]#nosmileys#nosmileys
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Post by RisuChan on Oct 3, 2003 16:33:56 GMT -5
[Jump back in time to before the letters were being delivered and Riff meets up with Jezebel. Boy I wish boards like this had a more graceful way to handle threading...]
[Character POV: Riff]
I silently run through the alternatives available to me now, in the face of Dr. Disraeli's mad-eyed intensity.
I'd already resigned myself to the thought of Alexis knowing. Whatever it is that the doctor wants, I'm sure it's not going to prove healthy for anyone to allow him to get it. And I still haven't completely given up hope that Yuki-sensei might have put Alexis on some sort of leash. She's shackled me to the building; Master Cain looked quite vexed with the contents of his letter; and now Dr. Disraeli feels desperate enough to bargain with me rather than trying to tear my heart out on sight. Yuki-sensei appears to have been foresightful in ways that seem designed to cause the maximum discomfort to the recipients of her foresight.
On the other hand, given a choice between needing to keep an eye on Dr. Disraeli and needing to keep an eye on Alexis and all the identified and unidentified cohorts he might or might not have recruited, I would certainly prefer to take my chances with Dr. Disraeli.
I hazard a calculated guess. "Confiscated your medical equipment, has she?"
The slight tightening around his eyes tells me all I need to know.
"I'm sure Yuki-sensei has her reasons," I tell him.
"Reasons?" he says, contemptuously. "Humans don't operate on reason; they operate on pain. Who inflicts it, who receives it, who resents it, who strikes back -- that's all that humans are. I dare say she has made 'humanity' into quite a sick art form, at that. And I don't need my equipment if I am reduced to the level of mere humans, who give pain for its own sake. I can tear out your master's beautiful eyes with a soup spoon. A scalpel is my form of mercy. It preserves the beauty intact, and provides a clean enough cut that the damage can be repaired -- if you care about such things."
I have a feeling he's bluffing. He is an artist in his own sick way; I believe he would never condescend to a soup spoon any more than I would condescend to serving my master thinned-out mud under the name of tea. To negotiate with me at all, Dr. Disraeli must want his scalpels back as badly as I want Yuki-sensei to come and take this completely uninvited and intolerable responsibility back from me.
...Well, in for a penny, in for a pound. I tear open Alexis's letter, as much to my own startlement as to Dr. Disraeli's.
It says:
Gone for a while. Be a good boy or I'll have every last cell of Augusta's soaked in sulfuric acid and the charred remnants burned before your very eyes.
That's all. Nothing on the back.
But then, knowing Alexis, this might well be enough to keep him in check.
As though he were reading my mind, Dr. Disraeli observes, "He'll either stay docile to avert any chance -- or he'll go completely out of his head. And if he takes a fancy to see to it that Yuki-sensei never returns from her trip in order to punish him..."
My heart sinks like a rock.
I can't take the risk. I can't take the risk that no one will return from Yuki-sensei's world tour and rescue me from managing this festering den of madness.
But I also can't let myself unreservedly set Dr. Disraeli free on the unsuspecting outside world. At least, not without a token resistance.
"I believe we are both at something of an impasse," I observe. "Me, he would simply kill for my interference. You, he would torture before your death, for having dared defy him and withhold knowledge. And when Yuki-sensei does come back, she will wish to find that you have obeyed her orders."
"Then you won't play along?"
"I didn't say that at all." I catch his eyes and hold his gaze evenly. "Make me a list. Write down what it is that you require. I am permitted to leave the building. I will bring you what you require -- within reason; you cannot fault me for failing to bring you either Tokyo Tower or a nuclear warhead or something that ludicrous. Scalpels and basic medical equipment should be reasonably easy for a former medical student to acquire without raising suspicions. I will be more useful to you than Cassian would have been in this regard."
"But?"
"There is no but. You will have what you want, which is your equipment. I will have what I want, which is awareness of what resources of mischief are most readily available to you. You know that I have this knowledge, and will judge for yourself how far to push me, your supplier. And in the meantime, we both will breathe a little more easily knowing Alexis is unaware of Yuki-sensei's absence. Agreed? Or not?"
I keep holding his gaze as I wait for a reply.
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Post by RisuChan on Oct 3, 2003 16:58:03 GMT -5
[Okay, in here is where all the deliveries take place and Merry goes to visit Kaine and Cain goes and sends her back to her floor and Riff is leaning against the top-floor elevator figuring out whether his knees are going to hold him up long enough to get back to his own level.]
About an hour before the "present" is when Merry gets downstairs. At the time of Merry's post, Riff is on his way up through the floors (or maybe just arrived at Sakura's) and Cain is on the top level...
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Post by RisuChan on Oct 3, 2003 17:13:47 GMT -5
[character POV: Merry]
I'm SOOOOO steamed!
I glare at the button of our level, perkily lit up and beckoning me back to prison. Pounding on it would only make it that much more determined to take me straight there, so instead I scowl and think hard.
Big Brother told me to go straight back to our floor. And to be there when he got back. Whenever that's going to be. Why does HE get to go wherever he wants whenever he wants and I'm always, always supposed to sit in the corner like a good little doll?
I know he worries. I know he does. It's not that I don't appreciate that he loves me. It's just that why is he the only one who can worry? He doesn't have me forbidding him to anywhere alone, or forbidding him to go see an incredibly gorgeous singer -- and I even had a perfectly good reason given to me by Riff and everything...
I worry too. I mean, that sauna up there is right next door to those host guys. I probably know more about what they do than Big Brother does. Big Brother never spent years living on the streets of London. And I'll bet he looks juicy. I mean, come on -- nobody ever sees them in sunlight, they all slink around being all broody and romantic and wearing black swooshy trenchcoats and stuff...
...well, okay, that applies to more than half our own neighbors too. But I'd bet good money at least half of them are vampires up there, and Yuki-sensei put 'em up there to keep 'em restrained, because they can't break out into the sunlight, and...
...not like I'll ever find out for sure, because Big Brother is never going to let me go ask them or anything.
...stupid elevator. It's here already.
I flounce down the hall toward my room, past the ornate telephone stand and the potted ferns and...
...telephone stand...
Kaine makes music videos.
Music videos need sets.
Kaine loves red velvet and drippy baroque furniture and black leather -- wow, Kaine and black leather -- don't get distracted girl, you have an IDEA here...
...in other words, the Endorphines would probably be eager to come scout a filming set that's even in their own building and stuff...
And Riff's probably still delivering envelopes too; he had a lot more of them than I did. Well, if I can convince a couple of the maids to make tea, I can impress them with my domestic skills and everything...
oh, this is goooood...
I pick up the handset and dial information.
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Post by RisuChan on Oct 3, 2003 17:46:59 GMT -5
[About an hour after Merry's call, back to the "present", with Cain still upstairs, possibly in or around the sauna until the middle of this post, and available for retroactive molesting to the ambitious... I note Suou hasn't shown up yet... ^_~]
[Risu-chan's note to the readers: Anyone who has Gackt's Saikai - Story song on CD or MP3, go cue up WinAmp.... and hit play. ^__^ Then start reading this.]
[character POV: Riff]
The elevator finally opens its doors and lets me out.
Mercifully, Miss Merry has come back from her errand without so much as a bloodstain in sight; the carpet is unmarred, and I can even hear her dutifully practicing the harpsichord.
More than dutifully, even; she's putting her heart and soul into it.
I recognize the song; it's one she transcribed from one of those CDs by the musicians upstairs. Her music teacher hemmed and hawed and then finally admitted that even if it wasn't Bach, anything which motivated a preteen girl to sit and study diligently was approvable in her book.
Then a violin joins her, and I clutch at the wall in startlement. That's not her CD player. That's someone live...
I hurry into the conservatory to find all the candles lit and three figures already there: Miss Merry at the harpsichord, and the violinist, and that red-haired musician lounging on a velvet-upholstered chaise with his head thrown back, staring up at the ceiling enraptured by some private vision.
I start to take a breath to ask what in the world is going on, but the singer has already taken his breath.
Called back to consciousness by a faint light, by the memory of a fleeting dream and the fading remnant of your voice, the vivid stirring of that far-distant past keeps reflecting a scene that now I can no longer see:
still at my side, smiling... you are here.
Shaken, I sink into an empty chair, disturbed by the visions I don't want to see in the candlelight. A past that desperately needs to fade, and the thought that even in a dream, I might no longer stand by my lord's side...
Ah... clear as though it were but yesterday, I still remember it! That one glance which touched me more deeply than anyone else ever had...
...my young lord's eyes on that day when I gave him all that remained of my soul and my life, so long as I live...
The singer knows fear and the pain of separations far better than he ought. With the part of my mind which isn't caught up in his song, I wonder if this is what Miss Merry recognized in him: the shadow of her brother's pain, turned to exquisitely drawn and aching art...
The joy of what we shared and that near-miraculous encounter and even the last traces of what we were together -- all of it, deserted, vanishing away...
I take another breath to protest, but the sound of angry footsteps at the door beats me to it. It's Master Cain; I would know the sound of his footsteps anywhere, and I turn toward the scolding I'm about to receive as though it were sunlight tearing me away from the shadows in the singer's voice.
Master Cain asks me in a sharp hiss, "Riff, what in the hell do you think you're doing? Why are these -- these people -- "
The violinist takes the conversation away from him with a sweeping crescendo; the singer looks straight at him, with an unnervingly sad smile, and starts to sing again.
From within those vanishing memories, I yearn to hold you just one more time. Long past the verge of pain, I keep crying out your name until my voice is worn to silence.
I want to hold you in my arms as you stand there trembling, head downcast. Because I've realized that what I want is to protect you, more than anyone else in all this world.
Soon now, very soon, I too will disappear, yet... even so... you are the one last thing I cannot bear to let go. Those days when you held me long past the verge of pain-- I will never forget...
By the end of it, I'm seeing my own thoughts reflected on Master Cain's face far too clearly, and I know that I have to stay here to deal with Miss Merryweather and these musicians. Because it's something I can't ask him to bear; my place is to bear things like this for him. He may be angry later, or sarcastic, or any of the thousand facades he places between himself and the pain of his memories; but that singer was singing our song, Master Cain's and mine, and somehow he knew it.
The violinist and the singer are chattering excitedly to each other about the acoustics of the room and the velvet curtains and the tone of Miss Merry's harpsichord, and someone says something about where to put the video cameras; to try to place myself between them and the shadow they've called into my lord's eyes, I step closer to him and soften my voice.
"I'll deal with this, Master Cain, if you wish."
He pulls himself back together sharply. "Did you do this?"
"I would never have dreamed of it," I say, quite truthfully. "Miss Merry is a frighteningly resourceful young woman at times. But they do seem completely disinterested in anything but the acoustical properties of the place..."
Master Cain rolls his eyes. "We're going to have words later, you know."
"Yes, sir."
"What exactly was she doing with that envelope to deliver?"
"I've been informed that I won't have the luxury of dying and missing the rest of Yuki-sensei's absence," I reply in an undertone. "Miss Merry has not been given such an assurance, and it seemed to me that she would be safer going directly to visit her idolized musicians than trying to sneak along behind me through floors with active wars, homicidal robots, demonic possessions, or, God forbid, that necrophiliac prince..."
He's not convinced. I didn't expect he would be. I'm beyond the end of my rope at this point, and will quietly endure whatever scolding he sees fit, whatever frustration he wishes to vent upon me in order to restore his sense of a semblance of control in his world.
The singer is still watching us, half amused, and half -- something else. Envy, or pity, or... something.
Miss Merry is simply ecstatic, chattering with the violinist about lights and draperies and imposing furniture long forgotten in storage.
"Should I put a stop to this semblance of a music video in the making?" I ask Master Cain, bracing myself for the reply. Miss Merry will be devastated if he intervenes now, and I think he realizes it; but I'm not sure whether his hurt and frustration is enough to make him reassert his control that forcefully...
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Post by Carole on Oct 3, 2003 20:45:17 GMT -5
[Character POV: Cain]
For once today, I'm finally able to unwind. The steam in the sauna warms my skin and is relaxing muscles. Drops of water have started to cling to my hair, causing it to go a bit damp, but I'm enjoying the peacefulness of it all and don't mind. I lean my head against the wall, and sigh deeply. Coming here was a good idea. All the noise of the complex has been wonderfully blocked out. For a few delightful moments I can pretend that everything is fine and there are no worries.
Alright, Cain, return to the real world. I fold my arms across my chest and stare at the ceiling. What am I going to do with Merryweather? As much as I'd like to keep her cooped up on the 1st floor, that's impossible. After only a few hours she'd be making a ladder out of the bed linens and trying to escape out the window.
Maybe I have been a bit too overbearing, but who wouldn't be with the sorts of misfits that live here. It's not as if everyone is walking around with a tag designating if they're good, bad, or somewhere in-between. At the moment a solution to this problem isn't within reach. I push it aside and move on to the next one
Poison. Where to get it? A quick kitchen cabinet raid should do the trick. And if I'm desperate, a trip to one of those 'Lawn & Garden' stores. They seem to have the ingredients necessary to get rid of pesky 'bugs'.
Finally, I stop worrying and just watch the steam rise...I have a feeling I might be returning here for another visit.
-Time Passes-
Hmm...has it been 10, 20, or maybe even 30 minutes? I'm not sure, but I decide to leave the serenity of the steam room. I should at least offer Merryweather an apology and an explanation as to why I don't want her wandering every which way. She's probably fuming her in room.
I stand up and open the sauna door. A quick glance around assures me that the roof is still absent of any other visitors. I grab another towel and enter the changing room. I towel off a bit before getting dressed. Feeling a bit more refreshed I walk down the stairs to the floor below. The elevator is not in use at the moment, so instead of climbing down about 7 set of stairs I press my floor number and let the elevator do the work for me.
The doors finally open and I step out. I hear someone playing music quite clearly.
Merry must truly be at a loss for things to do if she's playing-
The music of a violin accompanies it. Merry does not have a violin, nor does she play one. I quicken my pace.
But it doesn't stop at that. Oh, no. A voice joins in. My anger starts to seethe. Although I can't hear the words clearly I know that voice. I know it. It's the same voice from earlier that had caused me to stop on that floor.
And now. Somehow he had managed to weasel his way into my home. Without my permission. I had no doubt Merryweather had some hand in this.
I finally reach the source of the disturbance. And as I expected I see Merryweather, the two men from earlier, and....Riff!?
This is quite a shock.
"Riff," I hiss, "what in the hell do you think you're doing? Why are these -- these people -- "
I never get an answer because that singers starts again. Even if Riff had said something I wouldn't have been able to respond.
From within those vanishing memories, I yearn to hold you just one more time. Long past the verge of pain, I keep crying out your name until my voice is worn to silence.
I want to hold you in my arms as you stand there trembling, head downcast. Because I've realized that what I want is to protect you, more than anyone else in all this world.
My throat tightens. I can't remember if I'm breathing. I just want to grab onto the nearest sturdy object because this floor seems to have started moving. I'm not seeing the room anymore. I'm seeing....
Soon now, very soon, I too will disappear, yet... even so... you are the one last thing I cannot bear to let go. Those days when you held me long past the verge of pain-- I will never forget...
No.
Stop it. Please.
I will those images to leave, to retreat back into the recesses of my mind. They won't listen. This song has unlocked them and they're creating such havoc, that my only wish is to be as far away from this room as possible. It....hurts...
"I'll deal with this, Master Cain, if you wish."
Riff. His voice. It causes me to snap back to my senses for the time being.
"Did you do this?" I demand. If he has...
"I would never have dreamed of it. Miss Merry is a frighteningly resourceful young woman at times. But they do seem completely disinterested in anything but the acoustical properties of the place..."
I roll my eyes. Resourceful indeed. "We're going to have words later, you know."
Riff responds with his usual "Yes, sir."
Might as well bring everything up, "What exactly was she doing with that envelope to deliver?"
Riff's explanation does nothing for me (although I do file that bit about a necrophiliac prince away), and leaves me unconvinced. And I sure as hell would like to know when he came to the conclusion that these people were safe for Merryweather to associate with. And how I missed that part.
And that singer is watching. Perfectly at home in a place that isn't his home. The audacity...
"Should I put a stop to this semblance of a music video in the making?"
Oh, how I would love to have them removed. But one thing is keeping me from giving the order. Merryweather.
I'm between a rock and a hard place. If I let them stay, then that will only encourage Merryweather to try her hand at other things (Not to mention I'll have to put up with them). If I have them tossed out, Merryweather would undoubtedly be crushed and stop speaking to me for who knows how long.
But...how many more songs will I have to be put through like that one before?
They have all stopped talking and are obviously waiting for some sort of answer. I pull myself together one final time. Not well enough, because my displeasure and malice seeps into my words.
"You are allowed in this room, and only this room. If you cause any problems I will personally see to it that the problems are fixed. And then promptly drop whatever if left of you on your doorstep. I hope I have made myself clear."
Merryweather looks like she's about to burst into gleeful shouts at any moment. I'm not in the mood to hear that or anything else. With a final look at Riff I turn on my heel and retreat to my study. I'm spending quite a bit of time there as of late.
Riff's footsteps soon follow mine and I toss my coat into a chair for the second time today. Instead of sitting behind my desk, I opt for the sofa. Once more composed, and my face shaped into the perfect mask of calm. On the inside, though, I'm anything but.
Riff closes the door behind him and stands in front of me, searching for something to say.
I don't give him the chance.
"Which would you like to start with first. Today's delivery of the letters....or how you somehow came to the decision that sending Merryweather to that apartment was a safe place for her to be. Because, I for one, would certainly love to hear it."
#nosmileys#nosmileys
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Post by RisuChan on Oct 4, 2003 9:33:16 GMT -5
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Post by Carole on Oct 6, 2003 17:24:39 GMT -5
[Character POV: Cain] [Continued From Cain’s Floor] [ sakuracrisis.proboards22.com/index.cgi?board=yukiverse&action=display&thread=1065278287&start=3] “Mr. Hargreaves!!!” BANG“You really should watch your head, sir.” From my position on the kitchen floor, I glare up at this so-called kitchen helper. But the only thing he’d been helping along was my concussion. I rub the back of my as I practically have to crawl out of this cabinet. The damn things must go 3 feet back. “Mr. Hargreaves, are you sure you don’t need help?” “For the fifth time…yes I am sure I don’t need help.” I narrow my eyes at him. This was the fifth time he’d come in here asking if I needed help…and the third time he’d caused me to almost crack my skull open. Not only that, but he insists on calling me Mr. Hargreaves. Hmph. As if I was some old man. He looks away from my gaze, mumbles a response, and scurries out the swinging doors. Grabbing hold of the top counter I pull myself back onto my feet. It’s been 45 minutes and I’ve been all over this kitchen. It has not been pleasant. There is a row of ridiculously sized ovens on the back wall. All of them are turned on, which makes this place as hot as a…well…oven. After about 15 minutes of searching I had to take off my coat and roll up my sleeves. Everything in this place is rather over sized. In order to reach the top most cabinets I was forced to climb up onto the counters. And it’s quite obvious that some of the cabinets hadn’t seen the light of day in several… several years. I’m practically covered in dust, dirt, and cobwebs. My left pant leg got caught on a nail and has been torn. I have several nice bruises forming, (one in particular on my cheek), from when I opened two top cabinet doors and was promptly attacked and buried by numerous, heavy pots and pans. I must look like I was in some sort of back alley brawl. The fact is…I have no idea where anything in this kitchen is. But I can’t go up to one of the attendants and say , “Why hello there. My poison collection has been confiscated by a women who gets her jollies by torturing the residents of this fine establishment. Would you ever so kindly show me yours?” Well…I could…but then I’d run the risk of having them gossip about it with someone whom I don’t want informed about my particular situation. In vain, I try to brush my clothes off. The dust and dirt cling. I let out a frustrated sigh and give up. I’m hot, dirty, battered, and just want to get the hell out of this place. But there’s one cabinet left. I’ve come this far. Might as well go all the way. My knees protest as I set down on this hard linoleum floor. I grab the handles of the doors and open. “Of course.” Of course everything I was looking for would be in the last damn cabinet I checked!! I practically growl in frustration as I randomly grab boxes, bags, cans, and bottles, pulling them out. “Ah, dammit!” I snatch my hand back and look at it. I had carelessly scrapped my fingers along the bottom of the cabinet and now I had splinters staring back at me. I manage to pull out a few, but I ignore the others for now. Yuki-san wherever the hell you are…I hope you’re having the worst time of your life. I grab everything up and spread it out on one of the countertops. I divide everything into piles. “Can’t use this, it’s in a spray can. Can’t use this, too strong a smell. Hmm…this should be fine.” It takes about 5 more minutes. I grab my coat that I had tossed over one of the tables and pull several small bottles out of the pocket. I’ve stayed in here too long. I’m lucky no one has wandered in yet.I choose three, and fill the bottles. I stuff the contents on the counter back into the cabinet, making sure I don’t accidentally put my bottles in as well. I put those back into my coat pocket. I touch the back of my head gingerly. Another wonderful bruise. Holding my coat over one arm, cane in the other I make my way towards the exit. All the while praying I can make it back to my floor without running into anyone. [Next stop: meeting Jezebel at: sakuracrisis.proboards22.com/index.cgi?action=display&board=yukiverse&thread=1064964629&start=28 ] #nosmileys#nosmileys#nosmileys#nosmileys#nosmileys#nosmileys#nosmileys#nosmileys
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Post by Countess D on Oct 6, 2003 23:01:21 GMT -5
[This post takes place sequentially after post #8 in this thread: sakuracrisis.proboards22.com/index.cgi?board=yukiverse&action=display&thread=1064964629&start=8][This takes place in the morning while Riff is delivering the envelopes….I’m so sorry for having to go back in time, but I really wanted to write how Raziel started his day ^-^U] [ Character POV: Raziel ] “Hey sweetie! Wanna join us for a drink?” “Excuse me but I’m perfectly male! Besides, its 8:00 am. Who gets drunk at 8:00 am.?!”, I yell at the moron standing beside me. “So, you’re a dude, huh?”, he starts to analyze me with his eyes. “nah, not sure about that, I’m gonna have to inspect you in private. How bout’ that?” *sigh* its always the same. Such invitations are becoming quite frequent in my life. Every time I go out to buy groceries there’s always a jerk who mistakes me for a girl; this shorts Yuki-sensei and Zaphkiel-sama make me wear are of no help at all. Fortunately I have discovered that after ignoring them for a while, they usually give up. Just as expected, the guy gives up, and goes in search of another “prey”. And he does it quite in time as I have just arrive home. Usually, there’s no need for us to buy groceries, since we have a dinning hall and all, but there are certain “whims” which the lady at the kitchen is certainly not going to grant us. The high demand for tea is one of those. I believe Riff’s master on the first floor consumes almost as much tea as Zaphkiel-sama does. I wonder if they know there’s a big whole world of beverages rather than tea? Because of the high demand on tea, I have decided to open a tea shop on the fifth floor. How ironically is that by focussing so much on the tea issue I forgot to buy some sweets and other stuff. As I walk inside the building I notice how dense the atmosphere feels inside. As if trying to tell me that something was terribly wrong. Once inside I approach the mail boxes. There’s no point in leaving the mail down here. I guess I can deliver it to some people. To my surprise most of the mail boxes are empty. “That’s funny,” I say to myself, “I could swear they were filled with mail when I left.” Maybe someone else came to retrieve them. As I approach the elevator I notice that its already being used. Since I’m in a rush I decide to take the stairs as its my only other option. As I start to make my way upstairs, I’m revising my list of things to do. This afternoon I’m offering a tea party at the tea parlor and I’m quite excited about it. I have been planning it the whole week as I want it to be perfect. Right now I’m passing by the doors that connects to the second floor. “I wonder if they’ll resent that I didn’t invite them?” . I tried to contact that nice guy with white hair and his friends, but since they don’t even show up in their own floor I couldn’t reach them. I would gladly have invited all the residents of this building . After all that angst that Yuki-san makes us go through, a break like this is more than deserved. Besides, there’s still a lot of people I haven’t met yet. It would be nice if we all knew each other; but I’m taking Zaphkiel-sama’s advice; bringing together so many twisted, angsty, and even sadist personalities in one room is something only Yuki-san can do. Besides, I don’t think the tea parlor can hold so many people. Well, there’s only one floor left and I’ll be in home. As I pass through this floor I find my shoes all covered in sand. I really feel sorry for the people that lives here. Yuki-san had their water supply being considerably reduced. She says it is to make them feel at “home”. If you ask me, she’s only trying to reduce the maintenance costs of this building (not that it will make any difference). Despite that, there are many people from our floor that likes to hang out in there a lot. Specially that girl from the clan of evils. I believe her name is Kurai. She even has befriended a sand demon called Saga. They spend a lot of time together talking about bringing glory to the demons and stuff like that. I sigh to myself as I finally arrive at my floor. To my frustration I find that the elevator has just arrived here too. But I forget all about it as I see the one who’s coming out of it. Its Riff! I wonder if he needs something? I try to approach to say hi, but the atmosphere that surrounds him is so dense (the same I felt downstairs) that I decide to wait. I wonder if something bad happened to him? I can feel great concern coming from his mind. Though I know its rude to read other people’s minds without their consent, but I’m worried about Riff so I decide to take a peek. What I find doesn’t tell me much. He’s constantly asking himself “Why me?”, there’s also a lot of concern, and resentment towards Yuki-san. I can also get to see a shade of black and red. As I take another look I notice that he’s carrying something. Some black and red envelopes. Hmmm…now the pieces of the puzzle are starting to fit. There’s only one person with such a twisted taste. It must be mail from Yuki-san. Judging from Riffs face I can tell their content is anything but pleasant. “Good Morning Riff!”, I say as I approach. Somehow I have the bad feeling I won’t be seeing neither Riff nor anyone else from the first floor at the party. [next stop: post #25: sakuracrisis.proboards22.com/index.cgi?board=yukiverse&thread=1064964629&action=display&start=25]
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Alter
New Member
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Post by Alter on Oct 7, 2003 11:53:23 GMT -5
[character POV: Jezebel] [Alter note: Sorry, I'm late. this is supposed after Riff makes counteroffer to Jez. I assumes since Jez walking to the Dining Hall, it would be placed here, right? no? uh.oh, just tell me and I removed it quickly. [Alter note: Beware the angst ] "I think we had come into agreement." It wasn't a bad deal, considering that I would get my scalpels back. And that's all I need for know. As for father....."I'll make the list and give it to you later, perhaps?" Riff nodded curtly, eyes still locked with mine. It seems like he's thinking I would suddenly sprung out and starts to stabs him if he would avert his eyes any bit. Wouldn't a bad idea if I have the right equipment. more of the reason to justify my choiceI turned around (unlike him, I wouldn't have to worry about sudden attack) and starts walking to the Dining Room. It's truly ironic that I feel a lot safer turning my back on my enemy than to my colleagues. Strictly speaking, one even should avoid being touched or even gaze at certain colleague. Doing so would gives a lot of suffering and pain, which is more painful than the death itself. Hate, torture, suffers, pain, and death........ Our memory, our past, our lives.... Delilah consists of a bunch of pathetic fools who seeks revenge against the world for what it'd done to them. Or, or is it because we feared them? because we jealous at them? Their happy, laughing faces, because they didn't have to suffer through what we had? The world is made of malice and madness, there's shouldn't be someone who had a privilege over it. And how he just loved to show it to them. Makes them abandoning their illusion of love and safety just like he....was... .......Father........Unsconciously I touch my shoulder, the welt's still there. The pain still linger, but not as harsh as the first time the whip strikes down. Amidst the killing, he often see how human truly pathetic. They're weak, so weak that need other being sacrificed themselves so that theycould live. And they never expected, sometimes they would pay and yet.... and yet, he's a human. A lost human, who casted away from the world... alone...... sometimes he would feel an emptyness, and then the need to feel something, anything, anything to proof he's alive, and still existed somehow. It certainly wasn't love....no, he had no right for that. Pain is proof of my existance, the only proof that I could have.And sometimes, if he pretended hard enough, he could think the burning pain on his back as his Father's proof of love... His brother, Cain is having such privilege of the everlasting scars on his back, he, in other side...... "Doctor!" I snapped out of the train of thought, and focused at my surroundings. Giving a quick glance around affirmed that I'd arrive at the Dining Room. There's only couple person here, as not everyone is a morning person. "Cashian" he quickly get up from his chair, saying something to his tablemate and made a beeline into where I'm standing. I must looks very pathetic because he immediately grabbed my hand and tried to guide me into the nearest table. I batted his hand away, "I'm alright, Cashian" and tried to composed myself while sitting there. Stay focused Jezebel, start making those list and handed it over before Riff changed his mind"Could you ordered me a salad, Cashian?" [alter note: can't write a good angst, so I'm just throw about everything I thinking. I'll make Cashian pair-entry tomorrow =>)
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Post by RisuChan on Oct 7, 2003 13:48:54 GMT -5
[Timeline spot: When the elevator opens on the AS floor by Raziel, post #23: sakuracrisis.proboards22.com/index.cgi?board=yukiverse&action=display&thread=1064964629&start=23][character POV: Riff] My nerves are so worn by this point in the duck-dodge-and-deliver-envelope routine that I flinch reflexively before I realize that the unexpected voice addressing me is cheerfully harmless. "Good morning, Riff!" It's Raziel-kun. Hastily, I try to reassemble some sort of calm and congenial expression; he doesn't need to know what this morning's events are leading into. ...No, he does. But I can't bring myself to be the one to explain it to him. "Good morning, Raziel-kun," I reply, and briefly debate what I should do. It's insulting to bend over to talk to someone whom one is attempting to address as a fellow servant and an equal; but it's also a bit rude to loom about three feet taller than the person with whom your conversation is being held, too. I decide it's safest to kneel and fuss with a shoelace; that gives me the excuse not to loom without making it quite so obvious I'm trying to adjust our relative heights. Diversion accomplished, I look at him from closer to his own height and ask, "How is your tea shop coming?" "Oh!" He nods at his double-armful of bags. "I'm almost ready. I'm having a party this afternoon, in fact! But..." His sweet face is wistfully clouded today. "...But I suppose you probably can't come, can you." Silently, I curse Yuki-sensei's timing to the nethermost hells, and hope that he can hear that this isn't just an excuse; I do badly regret that I can't attend his tea party. "I'm sorry. I truly am. I would far prefer to attend your tea party than to do what needs to be done this afternoon, but my duty..." He's nodding anyway, before I was even half through the sentence. "I thought it might be something like that." He bites his lip for a moment, then asks, "Is there something I can do to help?" "You have your shop's opening to think of," I reply. "I certainly wouldn't wish to distract you." "It's not a problem, really!" For approximately two seconds, I consider giving him some of the envelopes I'm holding. That's about as long as the thought lasts. If anyone has arguments with the message, I would far prefer that the messenger victimized by it be myself. I know that I am completely outclassed in terms of potential lethality around people who live on this floor in particular; I know that Raziel-kun probably has a far better chance of surviving an argument with nearly anyone here; and yet I can't help myself. I feel responsible for him. He seems to think that I might be a person worth emulating. The irony in that is too deep for words, considering that I think he is the person I wish I could have been: purely devoted to his master in an innocent and shining joy I cannot remember ever having held; even my very first encounter with Master Cain was bitterly stained by his bloodied pain and his father's madness... "You're delivering the mail, aren't you?" he asks. "Really, it's no bother at all! Quite a few people are coming to the tea party; I can give them their envelopes..." I smile for him, and say, "Thank you, Raziel-kun, but you have more than enough to carry right there. In fact, here--" I tuck the undelivered envelopes into my pocket and hold out my hands. "I can't come to the party myself, but may I help you with your preparations?" The thoughts on his face are as clear and transparent as the flicker of sunlight on a sparkling spring pond. On the one hand, that baffling hero worship; on the other, furtive discomfort at distracting a fellow servant from duty. "But..." I am quite a calculating wretch, when it comes right down to it. I couldn't have survived so many years in the Hargreaves household if I were not. Occasionally, at times like this, it pains me a bit to consider it; but I try to reserve my pulling of innocents' strings for what I believe to be reasonably noble purposes. "I really would like to see your tea parlor," I tell him. "If you'd let me help you put these things away, then I could see a bit of it -- and I might be rather convenient for high shelves and such. And perhaps you can tell me which room belongs to whom as we walk, so that I can deliver some of these on the way." His face clears at that. I think I've just resolved his dilemma: he gets to show me the fruits of his hard work, and he assists with the 'call of duty.' "Sure! I'd be glad to!" Smiling, I take a couple of the bags for him and stand, shortening my stride to match his as he leads me down the hallway pointing out the rooms' occupants. Once in a while we pause to slip mail under a door. He's a warm and charming and gentle soul. I find that Master Cain's fears are contagious. It is completely irrational, but I find myself furtively uneasy at the thought that somehow my long association with the Hargreaves curse might reach out to touch Raziel-kun. Completely irrational; completely unfounded; and indeed with Yuki-sensei gone, I wouldn't be surprised if a large preponderance of the so-called Hargreaves curse has gone with her... but in any case, I resolve to take great care with this sweet and innocent child, who has never needed to learn the things that Master Cain and I have had to know. He is a very great treasure, and I would be terribly remiss if I were to allow him to come to any harm through my own negligence. There are some high shelves in the parlor; it had originally been built for an adult's use, and he'll grow into it soon enough, I suspect. But it's oddly comforting to me to realize that I can actually be useful in reaching things; it eases my conscience a little. "I do wish I could stay for the party," I tell him, rueful. "I'll try my best to avert any emergencies which might interfere with the next one! When might you have another...?" [To follow Riff on up the stairs, back to post 19: sakuracrisis.proboards22.com/index.cgi?action=display&board=yukiverse&thread=1064964629&start=19 ] [To follow Raziel to his party: sakuracrisis.proboards22.com/index.cgi?board=yukiverse&action=display&thread=1065277633&start=7]
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Kinna
New Member
Posts: 18
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Post by Kinna on Oct 7, 2003 22:51:51 GMT -5
[Character POV: Setsuna Mudou] (Note: In relation to the God goes on vacation thread, this should have went on earlier. I'm doing this in conjunction with the AS floor thread. Alexial's post was supposed to be AFTER this - Kinna)This roof-top garden is so quiet and serene. I really like it up here. I would bring Sara up more often, if I wasn't afraid that she would get height-sickness, catch a cold with the strong winds here, or trip on the stairways up. And that is not a good thing, considering her current condition. She's pregnant. With MY baby. That's the only good thing about this mess. Well, one of the only 2 good things, the other of which is that Kira-sempai is back. I don't see him around a lot, mainly because I haven't been hanging around in my apartment and our floor. It's so...weird to see so many people around that you thought were dead, or should be dead. And many of them acting very strange around me. Afraid that Alexial would manifest herself anytime? I still like to keep Nanatsusaya around me, what with the loonies running loose around here. Maybe that's the reason the minor angels and demons all avoid me too. Or maybe it's because I am talking to myself too often. Little do they know that dratted Alexial is becoming more and more chatty and talking to me in my head nowadays. You can't believe how much of a shock she first gave me when she dropped in on my head one fine day when I was just sitting on the edge of the roof. Good thing I've got wings. That mobilise fast. "Setsuna-san?" "Yes?" It's Riff, the butler of some crazy Count holed up somewhere in this goddamned blasted building. He's generally a nice guy, even if we've had not much chances to speak to each other so far, but his expression of anxiety was one I've never seen on his usual calm, impeccable face before. "A letter for you." He said, handing me the said item. Confused, I looked at the handwriting on the envelope - Yuki-sensei's. Why is Riff personally delivering this, instead of just leaving it in the mailbox? I asked as much, and Riff only glanced around worriedly and shoved it into my hands with a shushing motion. What the heck is going on? With a sense of foreboding, I tore open the letter in my hands, and read the contents. This is NOT good. Why does these things always happen to me? First I get saddled with this angel-demon-heaven-hell fight, then after all the trouble I went through to get it over with, when I finally thought that I could have a moment of peace, Yuki-sensei had to go and dump all these...WEIRDOS together with me in the same building, then go and disappear on us! How the f*ck does she expect mayhem to not occur? With Rociel loose somewhere.... Pushing the tumultous thoughts out of my head, I took a few deep breaths in an effort to calm down. Riff was still staring at me, concerned. "Setsuna..you do understand right? There are certain....residents who didn't get this letter. And shouldn't, for the safety of others." His meaningful-yet-warning look said it all. "Rociel...he didn't get it." Nod. I massaged my temples and sighed. "Alright. Thanks, Riff, for telling me. I'll keep this a secret." Riff inclined his head, then headed off to the stairwell. My sensitive ears caught his murmurs, cursing Yuki-sensei. So, the guy is not as subsevient as I thought. He does have a spine. Alright, put off the inevitable confrontation, for now. Great. One psycho less to contend with. But if Rociel ever comes after me or any of those around me again... I don't want to kill him, in deference to Alexial, and he IS rather pitiable... but I will do what I have to to stop him. Oh crap. I'll better go down and check in on the others. Sara is attending a tea party later, and I'll have to be there. Not that I don't want to see her, but these social events really gets on my nerves sometimes. The things I'll do to make her happy. But oh well, I have to be there to keep an eye on everyone. If anyone tries anything funny or I see even a SIGN of a weapon or an attack.... trusty Nanatsusaya, it'll be your turn to put on a show. (Note to all who had read this in the last couple of days: Whopps. Now there. Didn't really change the mood, but Rociel's out of the picture. For now. Till Alexial goes dragging him out or he makes an appearence, Yuki-sensei or not. Oh, and why don't they have a spellcheck function here? Urgh. -[glow=red,2,300]Kinna[/glow])
[To follow Setsuna into Alexiel on the rooftop: sakuracrisis.proboards22.com/index.cgi?board=yukiverse&action=display&thread=1065277633&start=3]
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Alter
New Member
Posts: 35
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Post by Alter on Oct 8, 2003 11:56:19 GMT -5
[alter note: uhmmm, I decided to cheat and borrow Cashian temporarily]
[character POV: Cashian]
As usual, I woke up late. Well, being such a third layer in Delilah means you basically become the all-around office boy, without the sufficient paycheck. That's a suck factor for working for some shady-dark organization. But they promised my paycheck would come in a different "form", so that's a good thing. Besides, working with the Doctor is not too hard, once you can stand his tendencies to store bodyparts in chemical tubes and 'human deserved to be punished' stuff.
Speaking of which, he already gone when I came to his room. I guess I'll just come back later and asks what errand I can do for him today.
Hmmm, no mails today, I change my direction towards the Dining Room--it's already breakfast time.
I was piling my dishes with scrambled eggs and bacon when someone tapped me on the shoulder. Reflextively I do what I'm expected to do.
Katan suddenly found himself gazing at the tip of a really sharp knife.
"Oh, it's you" pulling the knife, I grumbled and glaring at the mess of scrambled eggs and bacon which splattered all over the floor.
Katan looks anxious, "I'm so sorry. I didn't meant to startle you...let me clean it" , before I could stop him, he'd already bent down to take care of the mess.
I pulled him into stand (which was rather difficult to do due to our height difference problem), "nah, I'm starving, you starving, let's just eat" and starts to take another plate.
"Do you plan to go on the next Friday night?" I asked him nonchalantly as we seated on the table.
"Honestly I don't know either", Katan replied with a sigh. "I'll see what I could manage..."
I throw a sidelong glance at him. Katan and his insane, demanding boss. Well, I had a not so sane boss either, but at least he didn't hit me everytime he got frustated. That and the doctor only have problem with humans, Katan's boss seems have problem with well, nearly anything. I'm fairly surprised when see he could attend the Friday night meeting amidst the amount of slave working. He makes me feel better.
Well actually, I didn't like him at first. He, for my utter discomfort, has a very striking resemblance to Riff (strangely enough, the insane woman seems flinched whenever someone mentioned about that. She even snaps one time--and make sure no one talk about that again. Ever)
but as we talked to each other, we realized that we had much in common and become what you could say it as a fellow buddy. I just open my mouth to comment something when the door opened and none other than the doctor strode in. He looks pretty much zoned out (and nearly crushes into a table) so I yelled out at him.
The doctor got into focus now, but he looks shaken. Sometimes I can't really stand it, he's just an oversized kid who needs to be taken care of. Muttering an apology to Katan, I get up and guided doctor to the nearest table. He pushes me away (of course) and told me to ordered salads. I nearly scowled at him and makes advise to pick up more "healthy" dishes available--but since he looks so down already, I decided to let the matters drop and goes to the buffet table. He scribbling something on a note when I got back, at least he doesn't go angsting per usual.
"Do you need anything else, doctor?" I waited beside him.
[Alter note: Cannot stand depressed for too long, so I throw the jokes about Riff-Katan here^^;; I didn't know much about AS, but judging from what I hear, he and Riff really had similarity, the looks, the personality, the total devotion--it's just too cute *lol*)
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Alter
New Member
Posts: 35
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Post by Alter on Oct 9, 2003 2:46:09 GMT -5
[Character POV: Jezebel]
Let's see....Scalpels, syringes, hydrogen peroxide, bandages, tourniquet, sutures, alcohol, painkillers, chloroforms, formadelhyde, chemical tubes, antidepressants.... Apparently Miss Yuki had been thinking a rather interesting possibilities of killing someone with cough syrup, because she left me with none. (That or she didn't bother to sorted my medical supplies cabinet--But judging this is Miss Yuki that we're talking....). I sighed and see my list, do I miss anything?
"Do you need anything else, doctor?" Cashian put the plate on table and asks inquiringly..
"none at the moment, Cashian. I could eat by myself, thank you" He open his mouth ready to say something but eventually turned around and walked away. For some reason, I don't want Cashian knows that I had allied myself with Riff....well, not exactly 'allied'...more into mutual relationships actually. I will not tell a word about Miss Yuki's departure and he would give me my supplies. Gave a quick sort to the list, I nodded, that's should cover the major things I need.
All that's left is to give this note to Riff, maybe I just drop it on his mailbox and told him to pick it up. I certainly couldn't just knock at Cain's door and asks if I could meet his butler, now can I?
~~
Dropping the note to Riff's mailbox were easy enough since no one there. But when I was about to get to the stairs....
"Why, hello Cain" I sneered at him. He looks totally wrecked but that doesn't stop him from glowering at me. I keep pushing.
"Ah excuse my rudeness, but is Miss Yuki's departure really makes you goes into so much of shock as to hurt yourself?"
His eyes goes wide in a horror realization that I know. Hmmm, so Riff doesn't tell that to him yet. Well, in that case.... I should play with him a bit.
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Post by Carole on Oct 9, 2003 14:27:02 GMT -5
[Character POV: Cain] I’ve only just walked out of the kitchen when I hear something dreadful. "Why, hello Cain"I grit my teeth and turn around to face him. Jezebel. I glare angrily, cursing myself for not having walked faster. Nothing would give me greater pleasure than wiping that sneer off his face. Preferably with acid. Unfortunately for me he keeps talking. "Ah excuse my rudeness, but is Miss Yuki's departure really makes you goes into so much of shock as to hurt yourself?"Why, that son of a-Wait…how does he know that woman left? My look of surprise must have shown, because he’s smirking. I recover and continue to glare at him. “Don’t think for one second that just because she is no longer here, that you’ll have free rein over the building, Doctor.” He puts on an innocent smile. “I would never dream of it.” Well, if he wants to play that game… I smile back at him and say sarcastically, “I imagine that Yuki-san’s letter to you held only kind words.” There. In his eyes. A flicker of something. I’m not quiet sure what. Obviously Yuki-san left him some sort of message… He changes the subject. “How is you’re precious poison collection coming along?” I reach into my coat pocket and pull out one of the bottles I had just filled. I hold it up slightly for him to see. I slip it back into my pocket. “Now, if you’ll excuse me…I have business elsewhere.” [To follow Cain to his floor: sakuracrisis.proboards22.com/index.cgi?board=yukiverse&action=display&thread=1065278287&start=6 ] [To follow Jezebel to Raziel's tea party: sakuracrisis.proboards22.com/index.cgi?board=yukiverse&action=display&thread=1065277633&start=5#nosmileys
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