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Post by Alburn Redgrave on Jul 29, 2016 20:52:56 GMT -6
 | TAKE ME TO VALHALLA WHERE MY BROTHERS WAIT FOR ME | |
Alburn absolutely dreaded for this day. The open house event. Some higher-ups simply said that it was means to gain public's trust, to make them see that Legion's Police Force was more than capable of keeping them safe in these dark times. Though it certainly was a very good idea on the paper... the amount of risks that came with it made Alburn ask if this truly was a good idea after all. Of course, the men and women on the upper branches did whatever they possibly could to heighten the overall security of the facility itself from setting up several watches on 2 hours shifts to places where civilians weren't exactly supposed to go, double checking up on CCTV cameras on all the floors, placing more guards at the front gates, setting up metal detectors, to attack canines that could detect bombs with smell alone. Even with the officers as tourist guides, no one could certainly stop the civilians from looking wherever their eyes wondered off to. Thankfully, he wasn't exactly placed into any sort of shifts today, so he was spared from the amount of headaches that some of the guys had to go through, but most of the men and women seemed to genuinely enjoy this... so Alburn kept himself quiet by locking himself up in the office. He had to answer some emails, go through some papers and push them around here and there to their respective files anyway. There was a lot of work to be done, since - well, he spent most of his hours outside, because of this, he had little time to tend to his corner, so he used the time he had to tidy up the room. On the right side of the wall, he had a case about the 'Red-Eyed Maiden'. There were various newspaper cut-outs, photos of her attacks, cases relating to her, all pointing in different directions of the map. At the middle, was the photo of that woman - the most clear one that he'd had, her features obscured by a mask that she wore in front of him when they first encountered one another. Of all criminals that he'd encountered in the past, she was the only one that he couldn't put these handcuffs on, and had done extensive personal investigations about for the past few months. However, with barely any leads about her, Alburn always came up empty on each end, or came back to square one. At this point, any ordinary men or women would've simply have given up, but the officer couldn't find it in himself being able to. Ever since the day she put that scar on his face, those alluring red eyes always flashed through his head. Whenever he was reminded of those eyes... he saw them, looking into his own. It was... almost maddening. However, he was quickly shaken out of those thoughts when he heard a knock on his door. "... Yes?" A creak, followed by a relatively face of a familiar-looking colleague. What was his name.... Jack, was it? Ah yes, the kid was relatively new to the force. Couldn't go to the Hunter's Academy, he said, so he settled for the next best thing. Alburn felt tad bit sorry for him. Though he was a same cop like him, Jack could more or less be called an over-glorified delivery boy. Fetch this. Fetch that. Hey, Jack, give me coffee on Sundays, kind of kid. Nonetheless, the boy had a good heart, and the male never heard the new guy complaining about anything, really. At least, not yet. "Hey - Alburn, I know you kinda can't stand being around people, but there's this lady who's specifically asking for you: 'A guy with a large scar on his face', she said, guess she means you." "Why me?" "Who knows? She's a real looker though! Some guys outside think it's good for you to, y'know, stop being stuck in the office the entire day alone, and try to have some fun for once instead of having stick up your arse all the time." Alburn lightly slapped the palm of his hand on his face, and the kid was disappeared from his sight altogether faster than he could say: "Forget it." Followed by an audible sigh, the male stepped out the door, making sure to lock the door behind him. He needed to cool off his head a little anyway. A little walk ought to do him good. As he passed through the busy office floor, the Officer headed down stairs where the main event was taking place. He could smell the food being cooked outside with loud music being blasted everywhere. What was this, a fair? He thought this was an Open House Event, not some... carnival. At his side, he saw a sign which read: "Legion Police Department: Open House Event! Fun for all Friends and Family!" Another palm to the face was followed after that. Perhaps he ought to take that damned day off, after all. ▲ |
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Post by Ceyla Regenwald on Jul 30, 2016 0:19:12 GMT -6
[attr="class","dec"]  [attr="class","dec1"]HERE FOR
YOUR
ENTERTAINMENT [attr="class","dec2"] [attr="class","dec3"]0802 WORDS | | |
December, X0 It was so…cold.
So…dark.
The last few hours of sleep, and the solace that came with them, had been the first that came in days. There was just so much, too much, stress. Changes were being implemented in a hasty fashion, giving the young woman very little chance to adjust. What was once a modest apartment had been replaced by an expensive suite in the Legion Spire, only two floors below the one belonging to Chairman Barnett. This was one of the perks of her new position as Prime Minister of Rift, a position once filled by the late Elijah Frye. Just thinking about him made her heart burn, as if it were being prodded by a white hot iron.
Too much.
Rolling over onto her side, she stared out the large windows and off into the horizon. The precise time had escaped her, but she could tell by the starry night sky that it was late. ‘Maybe I should…go back to sleep..?’ She asked herself, tugging the duvet over her head. A beep from her Scroll tugged her attention away from brooding, a timid young woman’s voice speaking through. “Miss Regenwald! It’s almost time for the open house at the police station! People will be expecting you soon!” The voice squeaked. Regenwald. She had been forced to take the name, a different name - or rather, start going by her real name - to be where she was now.
Ignoring the voice, she rolled over to face the wall, curling up into a slight ball. “Ceyla! Are you awake?!” Her brow furrowed at the use of her name. She had grown so used to going by “Coquel”, that anything else was sure to feel alien. Still, this was her name, the one her father had given to her. With a frustrated groan, Ceyla finally rose from the bed, stretching her arms towards the ceiling. “I’ll be down in, like…fifteen minutes, Lis. Cool your jets.” She called back into the Scroll. Gently tossing it aside, she shuffled her feet as she made her way to the wardrobe. There was a lot to choose from for tonight’s event, meaning choosing the right thing was going to be next to impossible.
“Oh-ho-ho-yes!” She said with a grin. A dress, one she had bought a long time ago had come upon the opportunity to attend the Vytal Ball, hanged in the corner. “This’ll be perfect.” Without lifting her feet, she shuffled to the bathroom before kicking off her “Brooding Clothes”. Before dressing, however, she stopped to inspect her figure in the mirror. Not for no reason, mind you, but to check on the formation of a scar. Jagged, lining the curve of her hip bone, it came to be as the result of a young officer’s attack. It was a damn shame that her Aura had not been able to heal it properly, and even more of a shame that it hadn’t formed somewhere more visible.
Truth be told, it made her feel like a bit of a badass.
Hurried, Ceyla threw on the dress before posing in front of the mirror. She hoped it looked nice, especially considering the nature of tonight’s event. She always wanted to look her best at public gatherings, and now that she was the Chariman’s number two, it was expected that she looked as good as possible. Retrieving a red ribbon from the drawer next to the sink, she tied her hair up into a messy - but still clean enough to be considered “formal” - ponytail. “Alrighty, Miss Regenwald.” She said to her reflection. “Let’s knock ‘em dead.”
The car ride there was pretty painless. She had never been driven anywhere before, not even with Eli. They usually walked or took public transport. That said, she didn’t mind it at all. Once they arrived at the police station, Ceyla took a few minutes to wind down and mingle with the other guests before curiosity began to work its way int conversation. “Is there a young man with dark hair and a scar on this face here?” She’d ask. They’d respond with things like “Oh, Alburn? Yeah, why?” She’d never really make it beyond that. It was a mix of fear and excitement, in all honesty. It was good to hear he was still with the police force. A lot had changed in the few months since Rift.
If he was there, where could he be? Here for Your Entertainment [Feat. Ceyla] PHARAOH LEAP. [googlefont=Oswald] [newclass=.dec]width:420px;padding:15px;background-color:#333333;font:10px Verdana;color:#999999;text-align:justify;position:relative;z-index:1;[/newclass] [newclass=.dec b, .dec i]color:#eeeeee;[/newclass] [newclass=.dec1]font:65px Oswald;padding:20px;line-height:58px;color:#eeeeee;opacity:.65;margin-top:-220px;position:relative;z-index:1;letter-spacing:-6px;text-transform:uppercase;-webkit-transition: all .5s ease; -moz-transition: all .5s ease; -o-transition: all .5s ease;[/newclass] [newclass=.dec:hover .dec1]opacity:0;[/newclass] [newclass=.dec2]background-color:rgba(245,245,245,.65);color:#333333;height:130px;width:330px;padding:25px;margin:20px;margin-top:-208px;position:relative;z-index:1;opacity:0;-webkit-transition: all .5s ease; -moz-transition: all .5s ease; -o-transition: all .5s ease;[/newclass] [newclass=.dec:hover .dec2]opacity:1;[/newclass] [newclass=.dec3]background-color:#999999;color:#eeeeee;text-align:center;font:15px Oswald;padding:10px;text-transform:uppercase;margin:-8px;margin-bottom:-7px;[/newclass] [newclass=.dec3 a]color:#eeeeee;font:15px Oswald;[/newclass] |
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Post by Alburn Redgrave on Jul 30, 2016 1:52:56 GMT -6
 | TAKE ME TO VALHALLA WHERE MY BROTHERS WAIT FOR ME | |
Alburn felt hopelessly out of place. Among the sea of people, he was the only one who wasn't dressed up for the massive party that they were throwing off. Well, he didn't do so - since he never expect anyone to look for him until now for that matter. The officer wondered about, dodging and weaving around the crowd as he looked for a space to breathe. There were too many people here. Too many. However, he was outside before he knew it, and he took the time to readjust his favorite fur-lined coat and look about the sudden transformation to his everyday surroundings. Despite the things that have happened, they certainly were in a festive mood.... How would this secure the relations with the public? What were they showing? The fact that after all the things that have happened, they could still throw a large, open house party in Police Headquarters?
"Alburn. Just what the hell are you doing in those clothes?!" A voice squawked behind him. Oh great, Staff Sergeant Avery. He was perhaps the most loud-mouthed man in the force. Alburn never liked the guy, but as a colleague, there was a bit of a begrudging respect for the man's rank and his abilities. Still, he absolutely hated being around the man. He always spoke something about his father, always bragging that he always one-upped the man in every way. It was a kind of arrogance that made him want to almost puke at the older man's shoes. Already, he knew what the man was going to say. He'd drag on for HOURS about his clothes, probably, then somehow follow it up with even more bragging. "I never expected anyone to call me, sir." "We have an important guest with us 'ere tonight. I will not have any one of my officers lookin' like some street thugs in front of her, understood? We've got a spare uniforms at the lockers, now move it!" If that was what it took to get this man out of his face, Alburn was more than happy to head to the lockers, but it made him curious: Who was this so-called important guest that the Staff Sergeant Avery was so fired up enough about to let him go that easily tonight? Nonetheless, he put on his uniform for the first time in a while. He remembered the feeling when he first put it on when he first arrived here. The pride that welled up in his chest, the feeling of closeness that his father (though long gone), as well, once donned these clothes at some point in his life. It wasn't just some simple uniform that represented the entirety of the Legion's Police Force; it was also reminded them of the mantle of responsibility that each and every Officer carried with them every day. At least, that was what he was told during the entrance ceremony. After folding his clothes up neatly and putting it inside his own locker, Alburn stepped out of the room and tidied up any creases that were apparent. However, there was little need to do that. It seemed relatively new, and it somehow fit perfectly on his body, surprisingly enough, despite the fact that it was just a spare that they had lying around. Before long, another voice called out to him. "Ah, Alburn! Come, there is someone very special looking to meet you!" Alburn turned his head to the source - and in front of him, there was a Chief of Police, waving him over. It was surprising to see that man here. The guest must've been pretty important enough for him to come out and show his face to the public. Now that he thought about it, a lot of the important figures were starting to gather. The party now looked more like a banquet if anything. Silently, the younger male approached the shorter, stocky man who was beckoning for him to come over. "Do you perhaps, by chance, know Miss Regenwald? She's the Prime Minister of the Rift! I'm actually surprised that she knows you, Alburn. You're becoming quite the star, nowadays." Regenwald....? The name was unfamiliar to Alburn, but as he turned towards the figure that the Chief of Police was pointing to, his blue eyes wondered towards the woman in a white dress. She was beautiful beyond words. If he could call her anything, she was like an untouchable lily amongst them. To touch her pale skin even the slightest would mean defilement, but as he got a closer look at the woman's face... familiar features flashed through his mind. Those bloody crimson eyes, those golden locks of hair flowing gently down on her face, that pale, ivory skin free of all blemishes. He knew her, but others didn't. The usual stoic expression on Alburn's face turned to a slight glower at the realization. She wasn't just Regenwald.... she was also 'The Red-Eyed Maiden' that he'd encountered so many times before since their first meeting. There was no weapon on her, and this place was full of armed Police Officers. Even with her abilities, she wouldn't be able to stop them all alone. To do that would be a suicide, but there was nothing to gain out of this situation if he caused a problem here. If anything, all chips would only be stacked against him. Given her current political status, she was virtually untouchable, but it made him question just who 'The Red-Eyed Maiden' really was. Only thing he could do for now was to just simply play his part. "... No, I do not," Alburn replied after a long pause. An awkward silence followed. "We apologize for his behavior. He's not the most sociable officers in our force, but make no mistake: The young man's got the heart, though, like his father before him." The Chief of Police broke into a laughter in hopes of breaking the ice, "Would you perhaps like me to call someone else over for you?" ▲ |
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Post by Ceyla Regenwald on Jul 30, 2016 12:35:49 GMT -6
[attr="class","dec"] [attr="class","dec1"]HERE FOR
YOUR
ENTERTAINMENT [attr="class","dec2"] [attr="class","dec3"]1177 WORDS | | |
JUST SIT BACK and admire the night Mingling was, surprisingly, a breeze. She wasn’t really the type to stand around and chat with people, let alone those that were complete strangers. In all honesty, Ceyla never considered herself to be a social butterfly, but the events of the night had proven quite the opposite. Perhaps there was more to her than met the eye, perhaps she knew very little about herself. While she wouldn’t have considered herself the most elegant person at the open house, she still drew a lot of attention from the young men that populated the building. Beautiful and sociable? No wonder Barnett had put her in this position. All things considered, she was definitely one of the best suited for the role.
This was the first time in years that Ceyla could ever recall smiling so much or being so full of laughter. It was like being among the White Fang had changed her, and being liberated from their vile clutches had allowed the true her to finally come back. Now she was the young woman her father had raised, the young woman the mountainous monasteries of Cela had shaped her to become. The interactions were paying off, though. Between budding new and important friendships, posing for pictures, and taking up interview opportunities - Ceyla was cementing her position as the face of the Kingdom, and quite a bit more effectively than she anticipated.
Maybe this wouldn’t be all that bad?
Unbeknownst to her, Ceyla’s attention had drawn the attention of the Chief of Police. He was a short man, slightly stocky. As he approached her, she had the fleeting idea that she was taller than him. Keep in mind that she was only 5’2”, meaning to be taller than anyone was sure to make her grin proudly. It did - that is, until he finally finished his bee-line to her. A few inches taller than she was, the realization forcing her smile to spasm a bit. Regardless, she was sure she was far more powerful than the man was. At least she had that.
”Nice to finally meet you, Miss Regenwald!” He said cheerfully, offering him her hand. She accepted it with a tight grip, shaking it before pulling her hand back to her side. “I hope you’re enjoying yourself. C-can I get you anything? A drink, perhaps?”
She shook her head, almost before he had finished talking. “I’m fine, sir, really. Thank you, though. I appreciate you asking.” She said, holding her hands together. “I think I’ll just mingle for a bit. Undisturbed, if you don’t mind!” It was the best she could dismiss the man without being offensive, but at the same time convey the message she was trying to get across. Before she turned, however, she realized he would be the perfect person to ask for the whereabouts of this Alburn. Spinning on her heel, she snapped her fingers in a bid to get the now turning man’s attention. “Actually, do you know where I can find Alburn?” She asked. “Dark hair, scar on his face?”
“Alburn, you say? Absolutely, I’ll have someone get him down here as soon as possible.” The Chief responded. With a few pecks at his Scroll, she knew the deed had been done. “Uh, if you don’t mind me asking. Miss Regenwald.” He asked, a mix of curiosity and confusion in his voice. “But what could you possibly want with Alburn?”
Looking down, Ceyla tried to think of a good reason for singling out the officer in particular. She should have known it’d draw unnecessary attention. “H-he and I met once, a while back. In fact, he might not even remember me.” She said, her voice stammering as her cheeks became rosy. “I just wanted to see if he was doing well, is all.”
The Chief chuckled under his breath before looking around the room, eventually catching sight of the young man she had been requesting all night. "Ah, Alburn! Come, there is someone very special looking to meet you!" His voice boomed, catching the attention of a couple patrons nearby. Ceyla’s attention, however, turned in the direction that the Chief’s had. There he was. A young, dark haired man with a scar across his face - a little reminder of her from their first little encounter some time ago. It was nice to see him standing, despite all the abuse the two of them had put each other through in the streets of the Kingdom.
As he approached, her mind was full of thoughts that were a far cry from what they would be were they meeting on the streets. Instead of how to fight him off, how to escape, she was carefully analyzing what she could about him. One of the first things her attention gravitated to, despite being such a small detail among the rest, were his dark eyes. The more she stared at him, the more she felt lost, and time felt to go slower and slower. Was this her flight or fight response? Was it her settling into a fit because she couldn’t just decide what to do? Her face reddened just a little more as a smile eased its way across her face.
She was…happy to see him.
"We apologize for his behavior. He's not the most sociable officers in our force, but make no mistake: The young man's got the heart, though, like his father before him." A period of silence followed, forcefully snapping Ceyla back into the conversation. "Would you perhaps like me to call someone else over for you?"
Immediately, Ceyla shook her head in protest. “Absolutely not!” She said with a soft tone. “I think I’ll be just fine, Chief. Please, tend to the rest of your guests. Alburn and I have some catching up to do." Smiling sincerely at the Chief, she waited until the man finally left them before her gaze returned to Alburn. Her eyes defiantly using the madness throughout the room as an excuse to scale his figure until eventually locking on his. He was very handsome, now that he wasn’t trying to kill her. To be fair, this was likely the first good look she had gotten of him, missing out on many opportunities due to clashing steel.
“It’s good to see you again, Alburn.” She said, a smile still plastered across her light features. “I hope my request for you wasn’t too much of a hassle, or embarrassing. I’ve been away for a while, so I wanted to see how you were doing. Looks like things are going well.”
She prayed there would be no trouble.
No fighting. Here for Your Entertainment [Feat. Ceyla] PHARAOH LEAP. [googlefont=Oswald] [newclass=.dec]width:420px;padding:15px;background-color:#333333;font:10px Verdana;color:#999999;text-align:justify;position:relative;z-index:1;[/newclass] [newclass=.dec b, .dec i]color:#eeeeee;[/newclass] [newclass=.dec1]font:65px Oswald;padding:20px;line-height:58px;color:#eeeeee;opacity:.65;margin-top:-220px;position:relative;z-index:1;letter-spacing:-6px;text-transform:uppercase;-webkit-transition: all .5s ease; -moz-transition: all .5s ease; -o-transition: all .5s ease;[/newclass] [newclass=.dec:hover .dec1]opacity:0;[/newclass] [newclass=.dec2]background-color:rgba(245,245,245,.65);color:#333333;height:130px;width:330px;padding:25px;margin:20px;margin-top:-208px;position:relative;z-index:1;opacity:0;-webkit-transition: all .5s ease; -moz-transition: all .5s ease; -o-transition: all .5s ease;[/newclass] [newclass=.dec:hover .dec2]opacity:1;[/newclass] [newclass=.dec3]background-color:#999999;color:#eeeeee;text-align:center;font:15px Oswald;padding:10px;text-transform:uppercase;margin:-8px;margin-bottom:-7px;[/newclass] [newclass=.dec3 a]color:#eeeeee;font:15px Oswald;[/newclass] |
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Post by Alburn Redgrave on Jul 30, 2016 17:53:29 GMT -6
 | TAKE ME TO VALHALLA WHERE MY BROTHERS WAIT FOR ME | |
Despite his response, 'Remmy' barely seemed to hardly be bothered by it. In fact, even if the Police Chief had earnestly offered her to call over someone else other than him, she downright refused. Why was that? Why of all people, ask for her enemy? What was she doing here? What was her goal in all this? These questions flashed through Alburn's mind as he continued to study the woman dressed in white in front of him. Now that he thought about it, after all the time the two crossed swords with one another, he never noticed how gorgeous she really was. Sure, he knew this the first time she showed her face to him, but in an elegant ivory dress? Who would've thought that a mass murderer, a high-profile criminal would look so damn good in it? It complimented her eyes very well. Slowly, Alburn felt all of his attention being pulled into those eyes of hers like a black hole, unable to escape. Time seemed to slow then, almost getting lost in those ruby eyes that's been burned into the back of his mind. It was impossible to forget them. The way she looked at him, the way she smiled so alluringly. Shit. Focus, Alburn. 'Remmy' was a murderer, he never knew what she was going to do next; however, of all the extensive encounters he experienced from her, she was either in her 'switch' on to 'kill', or off. That switch, at this very moment, was off. He could tell. Right now, she seemed just like a normal woman, looking to simply enjoy the party tonight. If she was looking to cause some chaos, then she would've done so already with all guns blazing. Suddenly, Alburn's attention was forced back to reality when thick, sausage-like fingers tapped him against his shoulder. It was the Chief of Police, again. This time, he seemed to be genuinely worried - for all the good reasons, of course. The reason that Alburn assumed when he offered her to call someone else over was his problem with people general. He was known to be generally unfriendly to most, stoic, hard-to-get-along. Last thing he probably needed was someone like him ruining whatever form of political connections that the Legion Police Force had with Rift. Thought he was't exactly the type who paid too close of an attention to matters like these, but the male knew that Rift and Legion had very close ties with one another. One could say that their alliance was forged in blood, dating back to the olden days, long before Alburn was born.
"Be on your best behavior, at least for tonight." The shorter man warned him silently, "We don't need to sour our relations with Rift." Then, the Police Chief promptly left as requested earlier. Alburn then looked behind his shoulders a couple of times to make sure he knew he was promptly gone out of his sight altogether. After he disappeared amongst the sea of people into god knows where, the young Officer turned his attention back towards the woman in front of him. There wouldn't be any waltz of blades between the two tonight. There was not a single bit of blood thirst between the two. For now, they were two, simple ordinary people out of their usual 'cop-and-robber' dynamic. It felt alien to encounter her under such circumstances. Both of them always met one another when something was set on fire, exploded, or by the sounds of gunshots thundering through the city. He wasn't sure how to open up this conversation.... Usually he said things like: "LPD, drop your weapon. Now." Then they'd go off doing whatever the two fighters were meant to do. Fight. Fight 'till the end until one of them either simply dropped or escaped, but they weren't locked up in any sort of battle. It felt strange, and he certainly could tell her to drop any weapons when she didn't have one. What was he supposed to do at this point? Say g ood evening? The dress looks really good on you? Thankfully, Remmy was the first one to break the ice between the two. "It’s good to see you again, Alburn." The woman finally spoke still with a smile on her face, "I hope my request for you wasn’t too much of a hassle, or embarrassing. I’ve been away for a while, so I wanted to see how you were doing. Looks like things are going well.”
Embarrassing? Far from it. "Yeah, you look great is what I'd like to say, but...." Alburn spoke, "Me, knowing what you really are, why go out of the way to call for me of all people? We're enemies that's been at each other's throats for a while now - and you seem rather happy to meet me for some reason. Why is that?" ▲ |
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Post by Ceyla Regenwald on Jul 30, 2016 18:53:18 GMT -6
[attr="class","dec"] [attr="class","dec1"]HERE FOR
YOUR
ENTERTAINMENT [attr="class","dec2"] [attr="class","dec3"]0876 WORDS | | |
"I WANTED TO SEE how you were doing." With her eyes focused on the young man, Ceyla dedicated a bit of her attention to the Police Chief. Before they got to the part of the conversation they were both clearly waiting to have, it was imperative that the Chief had made his exit. He had placed a hand on Alburn’s shoulder, saying something quiet enough to escape her hearing. No matter, however, as he left shortly after that. Once she was positive the Chief would not be returning, her attention was one-hundred percent on the officer that had given her so much trouble in recent months. He seemed a little apprehensive, but she couldn’t blame him for that.
Somewhere, deep down, Ceyla was sure she probably felt the same thing.
The difference between the two of them was she had an appearance to maintain.
"Yeah, you look great is what I'd like to say, but...." Were the first words out of his mouth, and despite the addition of “but”, her mind still processed the line as a compliment. She shyly glanced off to the side, awkwardly playing with her hair while she thought of a proper response to such a thing. It was a curve-ball of sorts in the conversation that she hadn’t expected. Not from him. "Me, knowing what you really are, why go out of the way to call for me of all people? We're enemies that's been at each other's throats for a while now - and you seem rather happy to meet me for some reason. Why is that?" It was a fair point on his part, one she hoped to answer properly.
“Oh, r-right…” She said bashfully, still absentmindedly twirling her hair around her finger. “Well, I mean…I already told you why I requested you personally. I wanted to see how you were doing. Going off to battle, seeing so many people die…” Her voice trailed off as her eyes dropped, fighting the urge to keep looking at him. “It’s just…a lot has happened, Alburn. I don’t know very many people here in Legion, and there are parts of the Kingdom I don’t know very well.” Her hand moved down from her hair, holding her hands together insecurely. “It probably sounds really stupid, but I…” Her tone was becoming more and more quiet, a result of embarrassment mixed with feelings like fear.
But why? She was in no danger here. Alburn wasn’t foolish enough to attack the Prime Minister of Legion, if he were foolish at all.
“I thought maybe you and I could try to talk.” She finally said, having worked herself around what almost became a fit of nonsensical stammering. “I suppose you could say…I just don’t want to fight anymore. I want to try and make amends. I want to try and move on.” Sudden flashes of that day in Rift forced their way into her mind, memories of the boy she had killed, and all the men she had seen a student end with one fell swoop. She thought about the King’s execution, and being told Elijah had been killed. So much death. So much violence. While it hadn’t hit her all right away, it was the month that followed that had allowed it all to sink in.
Before that fateful day, Ceyla was a monster. The trained assassin known as the Red-eyed Maiden, other times the cold Huntress known as Coquel Nattier. It was after returning home and taking time off that she decided to press the Chairman for his favor. A full pardon, effective immediately. They already had a story in place to secure her safety and he had promised her no charges for the crimes she admitted to, including the attempt on his life. Ceyla was prepared to pack up and leave, to start a new chapter in her life, before he offered her the PM position.
It had been Elijah’s job prior to his death, and while she was at first very hesitant to accept the offer, it was one she found impossible to refuse. Not only would she be able to continue Eli’s work, but she’d be secure as far as life goes pretty much indefinitely. Who would pass that up? She didn’t know how long she had lingered in her thoughts, but she quickly snapped back, her face becoming red with embarrassment. She brought her hands up to her face, doing her best to fight off the light blush on her face. ‘Stop, stop, stop! Knock it off!’ She scolded herself. ‘You’re gonna make yourself look like an ass!’
Looking back up to meet Alburn’s eyes, Ceyla smiled shyly. “Would you like to do something, Alburn?” She said in a soft tone. “Maybe show me around? Get some fresh air? Anything, really. I just don’t feel comfortable being stared at from all corners of the room, you know? It’s really weird.” Here for Your Entertainment [Feat. Ceyla] PHARAOH LEAP. [googlefont=Oswald] [newclass=.dec]width:420px;padding:15px;background-color:#333333;font:10px Verdana;color:#999999;text-align:justify;position:relative;z-index:1;[/newclass] [newclass=.dec b, .dec i]color:#eeeeee;[/newclass] [newclass=.dec1]font:65px Oswald;padding:20px;line-height:58px;color:#eeeeee;opacity:.65;margin-top:-220px;position:relative;z-index:1;letter-spacing:-6px;text-transform:uppercase;-webkit-transition: all .5s ease; -moz-transition: all .5s ease; -o-transition: all .5s ease;[/newclass] [newclass=.dec:hover .dec1]opacity:0;[/newclass] [newclass=.dec2]background-color:rgba(245,245,245,.65);color:#333333;height:130px;width:330px;padding:25px;margin:20px;margin-top:-208px;position:relative;z-index:1;opacity:0;-webkit-transition: all .5s ease; -moz-transition: all .5s ease; -o-transition: all .5s ease;[/newclass] [newclass=.dec:hover .dec2]opacity:1;[/newclass] [newclass=.dec3]background-color:#999999;color:#eeeeee;text-align:center;font:15px Oswald;padding:10px;text-transform:uppercase;margin:-8px;margin-bottom:-7px;[/newclass] [newclass=.dec3 a]color:#eeeeee;font:15px Oswald;[/newclass] |
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Post by Alburn Redgrave on Jul 30, 2016 20:40:26 GMT -6
| TAKE ME TO VALHALLA WHERE MY BROTHERS WAIT FOR ME | |
... Did he hear that right? Alburn certainly wasn't expecting the sort of answer: I wanted to see how you were doing. Though he asked earlier to simply get a simple confirmation about her real reasons for being here in the first place, the response that she had provided him with left the male a little speechless. A sworn enemy, wanting to see him? To see how he was doing? It was almost ridiculous. Last time he remembered, he was the one who was trying to cuff her wrists and bring her in to make her face all the crimes that she'd committed in the past. Last time he remembered, she was continuously resisting the arrest at every turn. Alburn wanted to interject and say how laughably stupid this all was, but he decided to continue to listen. She then mentioned how a lot of things have happened in the past couple of months. From what he'd heard, the tone of her voice... it almost sounded like she was genuinely sorry for her actions, the sins she committed. This woman wanted a redemption.
The words themselves surprised the male to a point of making him slightly raise both of his eyebrows. He wasn't exactly sure what to say, but whatever had happened to her, something shook the 'Red-Eyed Maiden' down to the core of her soul. It was almost hard to believe that a stone cold killer would suddenly look behind the trail of bodies they made and suddenly think: ' Oh, this is all wrong.' No criminals in the history of all the arrests he made had done this - hell, no criminals have EVER done this, let alone, reflect on their actions. Alburn wasn't sure how to feel about all this. There was a swirl of anger raging within him, at the same time, a part of him genuinely wanted to try and believe her. However, his experience told him that this was no more than a ruse. A game to earn his pity, to gain a higher standing in her political power, but her body language was... well... not exactly someone who was lying to him. If anything, she looked more like a child about to get scolded after spilling a milk all over the carpet. She looked so insecure..... So helpless. It was a total 180 degree turn from the usual foe that he crossed swords with so many times before. Alburn tried to let all the things she'd said sink in. Was it right for him to not to get angry about this? As a Prime Minister... she basically had a jail-free card, not to mention, it wasn't all that far-fetched of an idea that most of her records might've been erased. Even if he were to make an arrest on her somewhere down the road, he'd have no discernible proof, not concrete evidence that she was 'The Red-Eyed Maiden' that everyone was so afraid of. The justice would not be able to bring down its hammer. So, was this okay? To let this all go? Alburn felt his right hand shaking like the day when he first faced down the murderer who took his father from him at the court. The feeling of his index finger, resting against the trigger of his father's gun in his jacket, ready to be pulled. Ready to bring down the hammer. 'Use me,' He could almost hear it say to him again, echoing continuously at the back of his mind, 'Use me like how I'm MEANT to be used. Let ME be the one the bring down the hammer. I'll finish the job the way it's meant to be finished.' His father always believed in giving second chances in people, but should he? “Would you like to do something, Alburn?” The woman would suddenly ask, “Maybe show me around? Get some fresh air? Anything, really. I just don’t feel comfortable being stared at from all corners of the room, you know? It’s really weird.”
Now that he thought about it, there were a lot of eyes on them. Even Alburn himself was starting to feel a little strange with all this attention. He had to agree, they needed to escape. Somewhere away from here, a place that lacked people, away from their prying eyes and ears. He knew just the place to do so. "Follow me." It wasn't so much of a request, as it was an order. Before she'd possibly be able to say anything, the male would suddenly take her hand into his own and start leading her, not dragging - to a place that only he knew. A few dodges here and there, and some stairways later, they were up on the rooftops of the Police Headquarters. Here, they had a view of the overall facility - as well as the large part of the city itself. The male came here often when he needed a room to think, a room to breathe. To most, it was no more just an ordinary flat rooftop of a building. Nobody came here. To him, this oasis was a small peace of heaven that his father shared with him when he followed him to work. Now, he found that he was sharing it with 'The Red-Eyed Maiden'. Odd. Finally, the Officer let go of the woman's hand. Now that he thought about it: For a hands of a woman who was so used holding a sword for a long time, they were surprisingly soft. "I come here often when I need to be away from people," Alburn shrugged, "... I guess it's not much of a secret now that you know." A pause. "About the earlier conversation: I'm not saying that I believe you, but if I did...." He placed one his hands inside his pockets before turning to her, "Then I want you to make one promise to me: Say sorry to all the children you've left fatherless, without parents. That you will help them, as I've tried." |
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Post by Ceyla Regenwald on Jul 31, 2016 10:59:20 GMT -6
[attr="class","dec"] [attr="class","dec1"]HERE FOR
YOUR
ENTERTAINMENT [attr="class","dec2"] [attr="class","dec3"]1168 WORDS | | |
Bist du bereit, an die Front zu gehen? Ceyla couldn’t begin to understand what kind of thoughts were racing through Alburn’s mind. Here she was, someone who may as well have been his sworn enemy, trying to put the past behind them and move on. For him to have the slightest bit of apprehension was more than understandable, and frankly, she’d probably be in the same position had their positions been reversed. Ceyla knew, however, that if Alburn had come to her seeking to put the past behind them - she would let him. There would be no ulterior motives in her actions or her words. She simply wanted to move on. Ceyla was free - and she was willing to go to great lengths to prove that she was changing.
Her eyes carefully scanned his facial features, trying to pick up any clues to what he was thinking. Given their complicated relationship, she was sure it’d have something to do with arresting her. While she wouldn’t have fought back if he tried, her current position made her more or less untouchable. That said, it wasn’t a safety net that she had the intention of flaunting. So what was she to do now? Did she let Alburn sit a fume over everything that was just unloaded on him, or did she press on to try and prove to him that what she was saying was the truth? Both options, to her, seemed viable. Both options had their pros and cons, the difficulty was settling on one and going for it.
The tension between the two of them was noticeable, causing the sensation of being weighed down to manifest in Ceyla’s chest. There were two ways the night would end: they would either put the past behind them and move on, working together - hopefully - for the better of the Kingdom or fight. Of course, she’d prefer it if the former was the outcome. Not only was she unarmed, but she had no desire to use her Semblance to the extent of its power, a feat likely to end the young man’s life. Anxiously, Ceyla’s eyes began wandering around the room, eagerly waiting for Alburn’s response to her request.
She just wanted to go.
”Follow me.” The sound of his voice made it clear this was no request, and as such she had no intention of resisting his direction. To feel his hand take her’s was one of many events of the night she did not expect. A tiny detail, sure, but it struck a chord somewhere deep in Ceyla’s psyche. Surely, if there was only doubt in her intentions, he would not have just grabbed her by the hand. A the Red-eyed Maiden, this would have been a situation to use to her advantage. Instead, her face warmed as her hand firmly gripped his. She followed, without protest, as the two of them made their way to a set of stairways. She prayed this wasn’t some sort of trap.
As she silently followed, the heels of her shoes lightly clacked against the surface of the steps. It was almost rhythmic, even a little hypnotic. It was this metronome that helped ease her worries, the clicking eventually echoing in tandem with her heartbeat. Nearing the top of the stairs, her grip on Alburn’s hand tightened slightly as they made their way through a door. It was the roof. Being up here, away from everyone, stirred up memories of home. When lessons weren’t being taught and she managed to slip the attention of some of the monks, she would often spent time on the Monastery’s roof. She could understand why he chose such a place. It was a personal heaven, she was sure.
"I come here often when I need to be away from people," He finally said with a shrug, having moments ago released her hand. ”I guess it's not much of a secret now that you know." With her arms hugging close to her body, Ceyla did her best to smile, glancing away towards the city before looking back up at him. ”Don’t worry, Alburn. I won’t tell anyone. I promise." She said, sincerity showing in her voice. “In fact, I might need to find a place like this back home. It’d be good to disappear from time to time, especially after being in the public eye all day. Sometimes being alone is just what we need.”
Making her way to a small ledge, Ceyla leaned against the edge of the roof and looked out at the rest of the city. This was a much better view than from where she had been standing. The city was alight, with Atlas Tower reaching high into the abysmal sky above. She often wondered if Atlas Tower would fulfill its goal of studying Remnant’s atmosphere. She wondered if, perhaps, they would ever be able to get beyond that sky and see what else was out there. Maybe, just maybe, they could discover what calamity caused the moon to fragment. It was all very exciting, so much so that it almost made her a little nauseous.
"About the earlier conversation: I'm not saying that I believe you, but if I did...." His voice sent a slight tingle up her spine, and she turned to face him as he continued on with a very…peculiar request. "Then I want you to make one promise to me: Say sorry to all the children you've left fatherless, without parents. That you will help them, as I've tried." A soft chuckle escaped her lips, the air escaping her lungs forming a light mist as it met the cool northern air. What was she to say to him? Silence between them lingered for roughly five minutes as she thought, very carefully, about the words she would use next.
She responded with a nod.
“In a few months, Chairman Barnett will be announcing his wedding to the Queen of Rift. At that time, I’m expected to make a speech.” She said, fighting to avoid eye contact with the young man. “It is at that time, Alburn, that I will publicly apologize…To everyone. I can’t really do much for them until then, but...” Unable to avoid it anymore, her eyes met with his, and she released a tired sigh. “If you’ll help me, Alburn, then I will make an effort to meet with the families to ask for their forgiveness before then as well.” Standing up straight, Ceyla took a few steps towards the officer, once again trying to analyze what might be going through his mind.
“So, what do you say, Alburn? Will you help me?” Here for Your Entertainment [Feat. Ceyla] PHARAOH LEAP. [googlefont=Oswald] [newclass=.dec]width:420px;padding:15px;background-color:#333333;font:10px Verdana;color:#999999;text-align:justify;position:relative;z-index:1;[/newclass] [newclass=.dec b, .dec i]color:#eeeeee;[/newclass] [newclass=.dec1]font:65px Oswald;padding:20px;line-height:58px;color:#eeeeee;opacity:.65;margin-top:-220px;position:relative;z-index:1;letter-spacing:-6px;text-transform:uppercase;-webkit-transition: all .5s ease; -moz-transition: all .5s ease; -o-transition: all .5s ease;[/newclass] [newclass=.dec:hover .dec1]opacity:0;[/newclass] [newclass=.dec2]background-color:rgba(245,245,245,.65);color:#333333;height:130px;width:330px;padding:25px;margin:20px;margin-top:-208px;position:relative;z-index:1;opacity:0;-webkit-transition: all .5s ease; -moz-transition: all .5s ease; -o-transition: all .5s ease;[/newclass] [newclass=.dec:hover .dec2]opacity:1;[/newclass] [newclass=.dec3]background-color:#999999;color:#eeeeee;text-align:center;font:15px Oswald;padding:10px;text-transform:uppercase;margin:-8px;margin-bottom:-7px;[/newclass] [newclass=.dec3 a]color:#eeeeee;font:15px Oswald;[/newclass] Ceyla: eb2a9e Other: 1979e6 |
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Post by Alburn Redgrave on Jul 31, 2016 17:04:24 GMT -6
 | TAKE ME TO VALHALLA WHERE MY BROTHERS WAIT FOR ME | |
Meeting 'The Red-Eyed Maiden' always pulled Alburn in all sorts of directions in ways that he couldn't really predict. It was always like this for the two since the very beginning of their encounters. Their already complicated relationship... sure have taken a strange turn. Months ago, the two fighters were at the opposing sides of the board - now, here they were trying to mend up for all the abuses that the two put each other through in this city. However, unlike him, she wanted to let go all the things that had happened between the two in the past, but was he? Was he willing to overlook all the good men and women who died trying to stop her? But if she truly was trying to change - trying for amend for all the wrongs that she'd done, the male felt that it was necessary that he too let this go if her actions truly spoke for themselves. Words are cheap, his father once said to him, and he was a firm believer of that teaching.
“In a few months, Chairman Barnett will be announcing his wedding to the Queen of Rift. At that time, I’m expected to make a speech. It is at that time, Alburn, that I will publicly apologize…To everyone. I can’t really do much for them until then, but... If you’ll help me, Alburn, then I will make an effort to meet with the families to ask for their forgiveness before then as well.”Apologizing in front of everyone? He certainly never asked her to do such a thing, but... the fact that she was willing to go through with it surprised Alburn. If she were to do that, then wouldn't that make her position all that more precarious? Especially her standing among some of the most powerful political figures influencing Remnant. If they were to find out that she indeed, was that so-called 'Red-Eyed Maiden', there would be a lot of people wanting her head on a silver platter both figuratively - and literally. The male wanted to go against what she'd said, there was little that he could do to stop her. Alburn couldn't keep her cuffed before, so why would she be willing to back down from his protest? Wait - since when did he start caring? However he chose to do this was up to her, there was no room for him to have any say in this... but still.... "I see,"
She then started to walk a few steps up to him. Her face full of curiosity, her crimson eyes locked onto his own. It was almost as if she were trying to look into his soul beneath the stoic stone-like mask that he always wore on his face. Alburn found himself looking away from them, almost as if to shut her out, to not let her in on what he was truly thinking. For the time being, he fixated his eyes on a small, black bird that happened to have sat down at their side, which seemed to be just as curious, almost as if trying to make sense of this whole conversation. In a way, the young officer wanted to say that he was just as confused as the bird was, but his attention became fixated back to 'Remmy' when she suddenly asked: “So, what do you say, Alburn? Will you help me?”Help.... Alburn crossed his arms over his chest at the word, and wondered what she really expected out of him. He was no more than a simple Police Man, His duties included daily patrol duties, putting criminals into detention areas for court hearings, pushing papers and occasionally watching traffic to make sure no one was speeding on the highways. There was so little that he could do to help her. He felt that if she wanted to ask such question, then he ought to take that up to someone who was in a much higher position than he was. They'd get more things done than he possibly could, really. Hell, even asking the Police Chief would fare her much better than asking him for help. Nonetheless, the answer was a 'yes'. "My father once said to never make promises to a girl if you can't keep it," He scratched his cheek, "To 'help' you - is a promise that I cannot always keep, but I can promise to be with you if you call for me. That much, I can do."
Suddenly, he took his coat off, and placed it over on the woman's shoulders. He realized that by now that they were still in middle of Winter. Legion at this time of the year was freezing, and given that she only had a party dress to cover up her overall body he had a feeling that she'd be getting some chills. He couldn't exactly send a Prime Minister of the Legion back home with a cold now, could he? "Don't get the wrong idea. I can't exactly send the Prime Minister of the Legion back home with a cold now, can I?" |
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Post by Ceyla Regenwald on Jul 31, 2016 22:23:45 GMT -6
[attr="class","dec"] [attr="class","dec1"]HERE FOR
YOUR
ENTERTAINMENT [attr="class","dec2"] [attr="class","dec3"]0842 WORDS | | |
Traust du dich, die Tür zu öffnen? "I see." Were the first words to come from him in response, followed by him looking away. Had she done something wrong, said something wrong? Ceyla had to try, very hard, not to lose her composure. It was in the midst of a panic attack of sorts that she had a sudden realization. It was a strange feeling, one she’d compare to getting shocked. It came and went, like a peal of thunder, but left its influence on her despite that. Why did she suddenly care what he thought? Yes, it was true that she wanted his help. Everything she had said to him was one hundred percent true, but still… After all the fighting, all the hateful things the two had thrown at one another in combat, here she was - caring about what he thought.
Was it concern for his reaction, or concern for him as a person? She’d prefer if it were the latter, liking to believe that she had truly shed her old self and was trying to start anew. The snag on that conclusion, however, was her fear that it could be perceived as something more than that. Not to say she didn’t find Alburn handsome. In fact, she found him very pleasing to the eye. The little bit of his personality that she had seen, both through combat in the past and on this very night, was something she found admirable. She could tell, in his heart, that he was a strong person. It was a quality that, in her opinion, many within the Kingdom lacked.
Her attention followed his, setting on a small black bird that had landed just a little away from where they stood. Often times she wondered what it would be like to communicate with birds - what kind of stories they may have to share. The creatures of the sky, surely, had many grand tales from all over the world. Even flight, which some people were able to enjoy thanks to the advent of flying machines, was something she found absolutely exhilarating. What would it be like to fly, unbound by the laws of the planet? Unbound by mankind’s failure to evolve to the point of performing such a feat? It was almost metaphorical, in Ceyla’s eyes, how some of the smallest creatures on the planet were capable of the greatest things.
She smiled.
"My father once said to never make promises to a girl if you can't keep it." He said, breaking the silence that had fallen over the rooftop. It was a good philosophy to have, regardless of whether the person was a man or woman. Promises required a great deal of integrity to keep, and to not keep a promise had the potential to ruin a lot of lives. "To 'help' you - is a promise that I cannot always keep, but I can promise to be with you if you call for me. That much, I can do." Now, several things raced through Ceyla’s mind at this point. First, it was that he had just made her a promise. Simply hearing the word sent a shiver down her spine. Everything else had become a jumbled mess as she tried to piece together a response.
Him removing his jacket and throwing it over her shoulders didn’t really help to ease the madness in her mind. For once, Ceyla was at a loss for words. How could she respond to such kindness? What did she say in response to all this? So much was going on all at once that she had hardly noticed the night becoming a little cooler. Thanks to him, though, she wouldn’t have to suffer the torment of a cold Legion night. Snuggling into the jacket, she smiled up at him, blushing yet again. "Don't get the wrong idea. I can't exactly send the Prime Minister of Legion back home with a cold now, can I?" She shook her head, glancing off to the side with a barely audible giggle.
He was right, of course.
“Thank you, Alburn.” She said quietly. “Are you sure you won’t get too cold? I would feel terrible if you caught a chill and not be at a hundred percent on the field - let alone get hurt because of it.” Taking a few steps back to the edge of the roof, Ceyla leaned against the concrete and looked off towards the city once more. Mesmerizing. Her hair flowed elegantly through the winter breeze, occasionally making its way into her eyes before eventually being blown out of the way. Part of her wished she could see this any time, but that would take away the beauty of it all. “Your father sounded like he was a very good man, Alburn.” She finally said, still not looking away from the lights below.
“If you don’t mind me asking, what was he like?” Here for Your Entertainment [Feat. Ceyla] PHARAOH LEAP. [googlefont=Oswald] [newclass=.dec]width:420px;padding:15px;background-color:#333333;font:10px Verdana;color:#999999;text-align:justify;position:relative;z-index:1;[/newclass] [newclass=.dec b, .dec i]color:#eeeeee;[/newclass] [newclass=.dec1]font:65px Oswald;padding:20px;line-height:58px;color:#eeeeee;opacity:.65;margin-top:-220px;position:relative;z-index:1;letter-spacing:-6px;text-transform:uppercase;-webkit-transition: all .5s ease; -moz-transition: all .5s ease; -o-transition: all .5s ease;[/newclass] [newclass=.dec:hover .dec1]opacity:0;[/newclass] [newclass=.dec2]background-color:rgba(245,245,245,.65);color:#333333;height:130px;width:330px;padding:25px;margin:20px;margin-top:-208px;position:relative;z-index:1;opacity:0;-webkit-transition: all .5s ease; -moz-transition: all .5s ease; -o-transition: all .5s ease;[/newclass] [newclass=.dec:hover .dec2]opacity:1;[/newclass] [newclass=.dec3]background-color:#999999;color:#eeeeee;text-align:center;font:15px Oswald;padding:10px;text-transform:uppercase;margin:-8px;margin-bottom:-7px;[/newclass] [newclass=.dec3 a]color:#eeeeee;font:15px Oswald;[/newclass] Ceyla: eb2a9e Other: 1979e6 |
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