Queen of Fools ♚

M i n a k o ♚ A r i s a t o Queen of fools -- member of S.E.E.S. District Alpha. What's there to do once you've saved the world? Arisen from her slumber, the queen of fools could have sworn she'd just closed her eyes on the rooftop only moments before... [ RP page afilliated with Citta Alveare. ] Minako can summon Orpheus twice a day with a ten-minute time limit set on each-- she may also cast the Dia skill thrice daily.

[foolishqueen]

More replies tomorrow.

Sorry I;ve been so spotty-- I got a new job. Things have been a little nuts.

[foolishqueen]

overslept a bit. || Akihiko

[protein-emperor-blog]

Okay, so scouting around the market in the daylight seemed to have much better results than in the night. Who would have thought it? The hustle and bustle of customers was rather annoying, especially when you had to keep shifting through it to look at all the wares, but he was making some progress. There was plenty of food stuffs for supplementary protein, but he needed the pure goods, as opposed to the others that were loaded with everything else included.

Finally, he found what he suspected could be his salvation in this mess, a more medicinal purposes. So long as it had some mixes, his quest could end right here and now. As he finally made his way to the front, he leaned forward, a broad smile on his face.

"You guys wouldn’t happen to have any protein?"

Before he could get a response, someone spoke out to him from behind him, an eerily distant, yet somehow familiar voice. It sent something of a shiver down his spine, as though he was about to look upon a gho-

"…"

For a moment, there was nothing but silence, the two of them simply standing there, dumbfounded by the others presence. The boxer was simply at a loss for words, a world of pain seeming to rip him from the inside out. She was just tired...That was the last time he saw the girl before him alive. Sleeping. But she couldn’t be alive, no matter what. She was the Great Seal now…Saving all of her friends even after death. 

But this…This was…

"…What the hell is this…?! Who the hell are you, and why…why do you look like that?!" 

[foolishqueen]

Minako blinked once, twice-- deftly, without being able to process his scathing words for a few moments. At first, she did not recognize him; the details of his features were much more refined now, the lines that defined the seemingly perpetual crease between his eyebrows much more prominent than before. Wait. Than... before? Akihiko looked... so much older than she was used to, much more gruff and weathered than the goofy-but-strongly-reliable boxer she'd known.

"Akihiko... senpai?" she asked, her voice low. 

Was he alright? And, further, how did he look as if years had passed since the last time she'd seen him? Surely, it had not been that long since she'd fallen asleep. Something strange must have happened right after that, or Minako would have memories of the events in between. She was sure that something awfully strange had occurred to make him appear like this. Still, she gave him a gentle laugh and grinned up at him, quite unsure how to answer.

"Y-you're joking, right, senpai? It's me. If anyone should be asking that, it's me! Look at you. What are you wearing?" She asked, the question half coming out as stifled laughter. "Since when do you grow your facial hair? I'm not saying it doesn't look good, but, you know. It's preeeeeetty strange."

Whatever had shaken Akihiko so, she vehemently hoped that it was not something as substantial as he had made it seem. At that level, he seemed to be in disbelief that she even existed, which was an alarm best kept hidden, for now. She stared back at him, eyes wide and probing, waiting for an answer to explain his sudden outburst. 

[foolishqueen]

overslept a bit. || Akihiko

Connecting the dots sure is difficult-- I feel like... too much has happened since that afternoon.

There were brief flashes of memories where they didn't belong; the face of a great beast she was sure she'd never fought, the scrunched faces of her friends and allies as they fought against each other to desperately achieve some treasure, and the distinct, softened voice of her mechanical friend as her drifted off restlessly in Aigis' lap on graduation day.

Minako shook her head deftly, brows drawing together in vehement irritation. She had not laid eyes upon a single familiar face since her arrival within Hive City, and the time lapse between falling asleep upon Gekkoukan's rooftop and the present just seemed too vast to ignore. She often felt as if she'd overslept well into an evening, spotty memories making every attempt to hint and goad her towards some future she'd forgotten to chase while she was dreaming.

She'd found herself, once again, sauntering lazily down into the shopping district from the dilapidated, crumbling buildings in which she'd ensconced herself for the night. Her fingers curled tightly around the handle of her wooden naginata, the instrument held firmly against her side as she strode onward, keeping her gaze locked forward until a voice caught her interest.

"... any Protein?" came the gruff, overly-eager utterance, too-familiar for Minako to ignore. She'd only caught the last bit of a question, but the words were almost too coincidental.

Huh...?

When she turned her attentions towards the source of the voice, her wavering eyeline was met with the most ostentatious outerwear she'd ever seen.  Was that... a cloak? With... hoodie strings on it? It had appeared that the man had donned himself within the cover of night without a single light on, yet, a sinking familiarity had surrounded his figure. Who was this guy?

"Hey, wait a second," she called out without really thinking, taking a step towards the oddly-clad man. "Who are..."

Wait. What am I doing?

[foolishqueen]

"This place gets more and more crowded by the day, it seems!"

[foolishqueen]

not in Iwatodai anymore.

[koukonshu]

Minako had placed her hand in Nicolas’, and that was all the Twilight needed to temporarily lose any previous, inhibiting thoughts that plagued his mind before. The girl placed her faith in him, if only for a short amount of time, and Nicolas did not plan to fail her. The teenager’s hand, although small, had a certain warmth to it that Nicolas could recognize as a vaguely familiar feeling from back in Ergastulum. There was a rare, sheepish smile on the Twilight’s face, and a small, raspy chuckle escaped his breath. Hah… Alright, then. I’ll do just that. He “said", giving Minako a quick, shy glance.

A quick moment later, Nicolas brought the teenager close to his side, and the two bounded out of the alleyway with a strong kick. The pair was spotted outside among the crowed before Nicolas proceeded to leap onto the roof of a small kiosk among the various, exotic shopping stalls. He only gave Minako a quick look before leaping once more and effortlessly up onto the roof of a small building. At that point, the Twilight was leaping and bounding across the various rooftops, something that he had become quite used to doing in Hive City. Not only was it his most comfortable way of moving inside the Sectors, but it gave him the solitude that he so often desired when being surrounded by people that he could not so much as care to associate with. Thankfully for the pair, the alleyway in which they stood was not too far from the border between the third and fourth Sectors, and Nicolas had no intention in wasting his time inside of the train. He felt the air rush throughout his body, and the Twilight could have sworn that he fell into something of a trance while continuing onward with Minako close to his side.

* * *

Ten or fifteen minutes had passed, and the pair had eventually entered Sector 003. Nicolas carefully jumped off the small building that he and Minako stood on, landing safely on the ground. He quickly but carefully released the teenager from his grip, and the Twilight surveyed his surroundings, a disgusted expression on his face. Although the two stood on a nearly-empty street, the images of broken glass, trash, and graffiti littered both the ground and the walls of the dilapidated buildings. Tch, these assholes are never gonna clean this place up, are they? Nicolas’ thoughts rang in his head, irritated by the continuously-irritating behavior of the “weaklings" that resided in the Sector. Sector 003 may have been called a place filled with danger, but the deaf man saw it as nothing but a hideous wasteland for prostitutes and men that were all bark and no bite.

He turned to face Minako, uncertain if she was alright from the trip between the two Sectors. It was difficult for him to express his words of caution, but Nicolas gestured to the sights around him, then pointed a thumb to himself. I don’t know if you’re as “special" as you said you are, but this place is dangerous, got it? Don’t bother picking any fights with the jackasses here unless they try starting shit first. If you stick close to me, then everything should be fine… for the most part. We’re not too far from the apartment building, so let’s go. He took a single step forward and looked back at Minako, hoping that she would follow. 

[foolishqueen]

She had not expected to be so suddenly secured to his side, blinking wildly in surprise before the sensation of moving forward substantially quicker than a normal pace actually hit her. Though caught off guard, Minako found herself fascinated with the burst of moment, squinting through the rush at the surroundings that seemed to simply blur right on by.

It was an unusual method of travel-- however, Minako had the tendency to be incredibly lazy when not within the walls of Tartarus. She amazed herself when she bothered showing up for track practice, so activity as seemingly grueling as such was an entirely different kettle of fish. Still, it was comforting to know that not everyone within the city was as devious as she'd been afraid of. She was unable to wipe the smile from her face.

Hmm... I wonder if this sort of thing is commonplace where he's from? It's oddly...graceful? If that's the right word for it, heh.

It was not too long after they'd begun their bounding journey that Minako found herself, once again, with her feet safely touching the ground. She felt the older male release her, stumbling just a bit as she made an attempt to regain her bearings. Disengaging from her slight vertigo, Minako raised a hand to sweep her disheveled bangs back into place, peering out at their new surroundings with vehement curiosity. 

This sector was... well, dismal was the only proper word Mianko could find within herself to describe it. It had long since been abandoned by any form of caretaker, and had a distinct, sinister air about it. If the littered condition of the sector weren't enough to elicit caution within the young girl, the eery emptiness of it raised warning flags everywhere. While she did not particularly mind such a place, she would do well to keep her wits about her. She'd already been informed on the type of people living within the area, yet, she felt a stillness within her-- a calm that kept her from worrying about the somewhat sketchiness of the dilapidated buildings.                      

Nicolas caught her gaze, his piercing eyes sending every warning signal they could have possibly radiated. She understood full well that she would have to watch her actions here-- she'd been within the district multiple times on her searches, each one of them resulting in a hasty exit. There was no questioning his warning; if she did not want to cause him trouble, she'd keep a low profile and not draw any unwanted attention to herself. She gave the man a single nod in confirmation.

"Don't worry. I don't think there'll be any problems. I'll be careful here, I promise," she spoke, hoping to be reassuring.

Taking his cue to follow, Minako hastily skittered along beside him, backing up her promise with a large, sheepish grin. It was true that, at times, her own hot-hotheadedness got her into trouble, but she would make every effort in the world to not make a nuisance of herself.

[foolishqueen]

"... why are people suddenly hucking animals at each other?"

[umbraultimatum]

Out of Darkness, and into shadow - Intro ORP

The door shut behind him with a thud full of finality, an uneasy sense of doom radiating from the unmarked door. From the outside, it seemed harmless; merely a doorway into a building that any passerby would deem unimportant, and worth very little of their time as they shuffled steadily along the streets. But inside, the entire world of a teen had just been flipped upside down, and turned inside out; and he knew just how dangerous a Doorway could be.

“Rima Hoervich… I wonder if he’s really as ignorant of this ‘transport’  thing as he claims to be.” The teen muttered as he hooked the relatively useless wooden sword he’d been given into his belt. A chilly breeze picked up as he glanced about his surroundings, taking a mental note of the board that stood just a few paces away. He’d check out his ‘housing’ in a moment- first, he needed to get an idea of his immediate surroundings. Who knew what kind of deadly and dangerous kind of things lurked in this unknown place called ‘Hive City’.  The Surgeon scientist had mentioned that he was allowed to ‘play nice’ or ‘torment’ the other unfortunate people who had been brought here, so this was essentially a city without law- something that could be more dangerous than any horde of Heartless had ever been.

Tall buildings and bright lights lit up the dark sky and gray landscape; nary a tree or plant to be found, and as far as he could tell by the smell, this was definitely not a coastal town, so no ocean. ‘Right. Simulated. I doubt any of this is actually here. Probably some kind of science or magic for all I know. I just know I need to be careful- I can’t summon my keyblade for some reason, and I don’t want to risk trying to use magic while out in the open.’ Traveling the separate worlds in his home universe had set a particular bar of precaution inside him, and he was smart enough to understand that some locals were not used to seeing strange powers being demonstrated.

Sighing, the teen ran a hand through his silver hair and shook his head softly, muttering under his breath. “Guess I better play along for now.” As much as it confused and concerned him, there really wasn’t much else for him to do. He had no way to contact Yen Sid, Mickey, Kairi, or Sora… And short of the possibility of them being chosen for this ‘experiment’ too, he doubted it’d be any time soon before he could find a way home.

Pushing away his unhelping thoughts, he took  a few steps to his right, and began the search for his name on the board Rima had mentioned. Luckily, he found it relatively quickly. Glad to know that at least the board was alphabetized, he plucked the note from the sea of similarly written ones, and began to read.

Subject: Riku Housing location: District Alpha, Sector oo1.

Underneath the initial data was a list of directions to find his new ‘home’. The details of them confused and worried him, and he decided he wouldn’t try and find the place until he absolutely had to. For now, he’d try and investigate the City, and try and get his bearings on the situation. He had to be wary though; he had his skills and a wooden sword, but judging by what he had been told, there were other people –and possibly creatures- who had been summoned there from other universes. Just by how different and diverse the things he had met just in different worlds of his own universe, he knew it was definitely a good idea to look before he leapt.

Holding back another sigh, he pocketed the note and took a double take of what he currently had in his possession.

A wooden sword; it won’t do much damage, but at least he had something to defend himself with. He’d had practice one in his past too. His clothes, obviously. The note itself, which he had to make sure he didn’t lose- it was the only way he’d be able to find where he was supposed to live.

Any Potions or other helpful items he had been carrying prior to his kidnapping were gone, presumably destroyed or sold to the highest bidder. Thankfully Riku had never been one to carry close personal objects with him, so the loss wasn’t that great aside from the waste of Munny.

Another thing he was missing was just that; any Munny that he carried, the universal currency used back home, was gone as well.

Gritting his teeth, a small frown etching itself deeper and deeper into his expression, Riku pinched the bridge of his nose, giving himself just a moment to get his thoughts together. As prepared as he was for new and dangerous worlds- this was beyond anything he’d experienced before.

A nearby movement and an audible step broke into his thoughts, and he whipped around with a curse, immediately drawing the wooden sword out of habit and momentary alarm. “Who are you?”

[foolishqueen]

This place really needs a good cleaning up, I can't imagine anyone being excited about this area being the first place they see...

Today was supposed to be the day of fruitful searches, but that's what Minako had been telling herself every morning she awoke within the city. The minute she opened her eyes, a silent plea escaped her lips, hoping for a glimpse of the people she desperately needed to be seeing. She'd made it a silent duty to retrace her steps into the first place she saw when entering the city, hoping to catch a glimpse of someone she recognized. Even with a week's worth of failures under Minako's belt-- today would be no different.

She never stuck around too long-- digging for clues in places where strangers were able to watch her easily was never a bright option in her case. Notwithstanding, she still felt obligated to return there daily, just to scope out the new... recruits that had been brought in. That day, she had chosen to situate herself in the usual spot, around a grimy corner a few streets down. She watched carefully, keeping her crimson eyes vehemently focused upon the newcomers in question. She was fairly sure that no on else had developed a habit that looked as insanely creepy as the one she had, but at this point, it meant absolutely nothing if someone from S.E.E.S. happened to walk into sight. So, as the newcomers slowly trickled in, the disappointment within her grew just a little bit more.

As Minako turned to go, a single straggler caught her eye, fair-colored hair catching her attention immediately. For just a single, brief second, Minako thought she might have seen someone else-- but as the boy sauntered his way closer, it was much easier to tell that he was just as foreign as the rest of them had been. Her fingers drew tight around the handle of her wooden naginata, refusing to let the disappointment blossom into something worse. She would just have to learn a higher level of patience, allowing more room for failed searches. Without thinking, Minako let the naginata's handle smack against the concrete below her as she made her exit, the sound echoing loudly against the stark quiet that had befallen the area.

Oops.

The call-out to her came almost instantaneously, as expected. You couldn't just do something like that and hope it doesn't attract unwanted attention. Still, she'd almost bashed in a few heads with her naginata for the same thing, so... guess it was her turn. Somewhat embarrassed and silently hoping she hadn't pissed off anyone too dangerous, Minako stepped awkwardly from around the corner, knuckles, gaze cast off to the side in a forced-nonchalance way.

"S-sorry 'bout that. Ahh, I thought... you might have been someone else. Turns out I was mistaken," she announced, eyeballing his wooden sword with the tiniest bit of suspicion.

Please don't leap at me with that thing. I'm too rusty for this.

"Didn't mean to startle you-- it was... kiiiiiiind of a slip-up."

[foolishqueen]

not in Iwatodai anymore.

[koukonshu]

Nicolas nervously awaited Minako’s reply, and he swore that he could have felt his heart violently beating inside of his chest. It wasn’t rejection that he feared so much as it was the thought of the teenage girl fearing him. The Normals of Ergastulum had nothing but fear and hate for the Twilights, and Nicolas was definitely not used to kindness from most, normal humans. Although he dismissed all of those people as nothing but fools and scum, the pain that he felt from their fearful stares was still very real.

But, Hive City was different. Although the city was nothing but a false paradise with a hidden objective for its citizens, Twilights and Normals didn’t exist within the realm. Nicolas may have been feared by some of the civilians, but they feared him for his strength and attitude towards anyone that dared cross him - not because of his “species". He felt acceptance, both from Minako and the others inside the city. And yet, his mind was still plagued by paranoid thoughts.

The girl had responded kindly and didn’t mind sharing a room with the older, deaf male. Nicolas swallowed, and he felt just the smallest lump in his throat - something he thought of as only a nuisance. Tucking the apartment key securely back into his pocket, the Twilight could only give Minako a silent bow in understanding of her choice. He lifted his head back up to face the girl, but there was a subtle, pained expression shown on his face for just a moment. I wonder what she really thinks of me… She… Doesn’t hate me, does she? Is she afraid of me? SHIT! What the fuck am I thinking?! He forced the thoughts out of his mind, instead giving a peek to the crowd of bustling people outside the alleyway.

Taking a step forward, Nicolas held one of his large, pale hands out to Minako. He hoped that she wouldn’t confuse the gesture for a handshake, as Nicolas was actually hoping that the teenager would give a good, firm grip to his hand. Walking among the crowd bored him, and he had a much quicker way getting the pair to the train station and over to Sector 003. He gave a quick glance to his hand followed by a nod to Minako, simply “telling" her, Grab on. I’ll get us there quickly. 

[foolishqueen]

Did she detect a hint of... hesitance upon his face? For the smallest of moments, Minako could have sworn the expression that had briefly flitted across his face looked almost... troubled, as if something might have been eating at him in a place she couldn't see. It wasn't all that surprising-- she had witnessed first hand the beginning of the end, and watching 'Apathy Syndrome' claim the hope of almost an entire city didn't seem so far-fetched anymore. If there was anything Minako had learned while staving off The Fall, it was that judgment should only be left up to oneself.

He gave her somewhat of a curt nod, though it was understandable as well. The circumstance as a whole would seem out of place to any third party, and she could imagine how foreign it might be for an established adult to offer shelter to some highschooler. She would not forget his kindness, and when she figured out exactly how such a feat was possible, Minako fully intended to repay it. Until then, she would make a great effort to not be burdensome and play her cards carefully as she continued her endeavors.

She watched with interest as Nicolas stuffed the apartment key back into his pocket and turned to her, offering his hand to her. She studied his expression carefully-- the gesture was not casual, and did not suggest that they were to stroll casually out into the street together, as if they had been a duo for ages. That would have been far, far too suspicious, and that meant something else entirely was being propositioned. Wiping all tentativeness from her motions, she gave an affirmative nod to show her comprehension and grabbed hold of his hand, a wide smile spreading across her face. She could not help it-- every person she met in ways like this had had a significant impact on her being as a whole, and somehow, it never crossed her mind once that this could be any different.

"Alright, then. Lead the way."

[foolishqueen]

Hello Minako! Your application for Just Desserts has been received, and I'd like to congratulate you on getting the job! Welcome, barista! ヾ(＾∇＾)

Aha! Things are looking up!

[foolishqueen]

... A ton of people began trailing you.

[sindrianserpent-deactivated2014]

Despite the smile and slight chuckle that Ja’far offered in response, he couldn’t help but think about how her response pretty much knocked each of his guesses right out of play. In that case she must have been involved in something that is unique to her world specifically. 

"Something is bound to turn up sooner or later. If not, you can always find something to take up yourself to get by. Although, I do recall hearing something about a ‘maid’ cafe that was looking for hire a few days ago." 

[foolishqueen]

A... maid cafe?

It was fairly obvious that the thought had never crossed her mind, but as it did, her thoughts on the matter were somewhat... obvious, showing through her expression like a child who'd just discovered the location of the sacred cookie jar. Of course! A cafe! She'd spent almost every Monday through Wednesday of the last year working at Chagall Cafe in Paulownia Mall-- it was second nature, by now! That would surely be an easy way to earn some cash.

"Really?!" she exclaimed, stopping herself in her tracks before leaping on the strange male with hug-oriented thoughts. "You don't happen to know where it is, do you? I've worked in a cafe before-- that would be perfect!"

[foolishqueen]

In which Minako is awful at sign language.

[foolishqueen]

not in Iwatodai anymore.

[koukonshu]

Minako’s reply seemed to dance around Nicolas’ question, but fortunately for the Twilight, he was pretty good at spotting a lie. He chose not to question Minako’s reasoning for giving such a vague and hard-to-believe answer about her dwelling, but he wondered just how she was getting along. He remembered there being some sort of announcement about “districts" in the Sectors that had cardboard boxes for homes, and Nicolas assumed that Minako must have actually been assigned to live inside one of them. He had even heard recent news about the discovery of some rather dangerous-looking and eerie locations in each Sector that the residents had the option of living in. The people that run this city are fuckin’ weird, that’s all I can say… The Twilight soon dismissed his thoughts, focusing his attention back on the teenager in front of him.

He furrowed his eyebrows, wondering what to do with Minako. He hadn’t seen anyone else that bore the same badge and “gun" as she did, and Nicolas wasn’t exactly wanting to participate in a massive scavenger hunt for some people that may or may not have even been in the city in the first place. No, finding Minako an actual place to stay was more important, as much as Nicolas didn’t want to openly admit it. There was the possibility of Nicolas letting her stay with him for a short while, but Sector 003 wasn’t exactly the most… pleasant of places for a high school student to live in.

The deaf man silently fiddled with the apartment key in his hand, unsure of what to say or do. He could almost feel Minako’s concerned and apprehensive mood surround him, and it took the Twilight a good, self-scolding to overcome his shyness. Holding the key out in front of Minako, Nicolas pointed at it, himself, Minako, and finally at the key again. In all of that, he hoped to communicate himself in the least awkward possible. Look, I’m sorry about you not being able to find your friends, but I’m not gonna start up a damn search party just to find them for you. There’s not much else that I can really do. …But it looks like you don’t really have a great place to stay, so… I guess I don’t mind you staying with me for a little bit. It’s not in the best part of the city, but if that stupid gun really is ‘special’, you should be okay. As long as you give me my space and you’re not a pain in the ass, I won’t mind too much.

Nicolas scratched the back of his head out of embarrassment, and he wound up scolding himself in his thoughts anyway. Shit, I probably came off as a creep or something to her. Then again, she probably didn’t understand all that crap I was “saying" to her… Tch, I think I’m just being way too nice for my own good. This is what happens when I haven’t had a good job in a while. He awaited a response from Minako, but the Twilight appeared to be trying his best to avoid direct eye contact with the teenager for the moment. 

[foolishqueen]

Is he...?

The nonplussed, slightly vacant thoughts buzzing around in her mind showed pretty plainly on Minako's face, her eyebrows arched so high that low-flying airplanes would easily be caught in them. She opened her mouth to speak, but when nothing came out, she simply stood there in the most dumbfounded manner possible. Had she understood that correctly? Surely this rugged stranger wouldn't be offering a roof to some nobody teenager who had questionable nightly activities planned for her future. Though the Midnight Hour was not experienced within the city, she was sure midnight was the most likely time she'd run into any of her comrades.

Her eyes followed his movements expectantly as he gestured from himself, to her, the key, and back again. This man, though seemingly crass, had turned out to be unexpectedly kind. It was still far too early for Minako to get a good, targeted idea of Nicolas' character, but as someone who'd spent the better part of a year hunting down some of the most foul, evil things she could have imagined, his rough-around-the-edges eagerness to help if only just a tiny bit was refreshing. Nothing about him screamed "creep" to her-- in fact, she'd grown accustomed to gruff kindness of that brand well before her arrival in the city. She was exceedingly hesitant to impose, but at that point, having a place to keep belongings safe was a higher priority than her own level of modesty and morale. Giving Nicolas a quick bow, she nodded in understanding.

Besides, if she was being naive and wandering into dangerous territory, anyone on he opposing end would get a nasty shock from her "alter ego's" protection.

"You're very kind. I wouldn't have expected an offer like that-- that is, assuming I'm not misunderstanding," came her reply, waiting a few moments to confirm that she was correct before continuing. "I-I don't take up a lot of space, and likely, I'll be out a lot anyway. The truth is, I came across someone the other day from the same place as me, though I didn't quite know them. Still, that's gotta mean there's a good chance that the people I'm looking for are here-- even just one!"

Maybe I'm being too optimistic-- that's prolly what Akihiko-senpai'd say, but... oh well. I can't keep wandering around like a lost puppy forever.

Perhaps she'd attempt to find some sort of work, just to keep idle hands proactive when she wasn't accomplishing missions of her own. She'd rather not sit and take up space for too long, and perhaps if she collected enough funding, a vacant room would allow for her endeavors to not disturb anyone else. It was a little far-fetched, but optimism was kind of her thing.

[foolishqueen]

not in Iwatodai anymore.

[koukonshu]

Nodding in approval, Nicolas was secretly glad to see that the girl had made an effort to sign his name. Although she have not done it in the smoothest way, it was the thought and effort that actually counted. Of course, Nicolas would never admit that to the girl personally… And as Nicolas tucked his tags back underneath his shirt, the girl introduced herself as Minako Arisato. He slowly mouthed the words back to the teenager, an occasional whisper of sound escaping his breath. Like nearly all of the other people he’d met while in Hive City, it was a bizarre-sounding, foreign name, to say the least. 

Minako seemed to focus her attention back to the “gun" that she held in her hands, attempting to explain its purpose. The Twilight was admittedly surprised to witness the teenager shyly aim the gun at the side of her head before quickly dropping it arm to her side. He arched an eyebrow in blatant confusion, and Nicolas looked at Minako completely mystified. So you’re telling me that you aim an unloaded object that looks like a gun at your skull and fire? … …Yeah, sure… That makes complete, fucking sense.

The logic for something that seemed so obviously idiotic puzzled Nicolas, but Minako did say that she would give a further explanation in an area without other people wandering around. Because he wasn’t familiar with Sector 004 at all, Nicolas wasn’t entirely sure where the pair could go and be out of sight. And although he was quite curious, what mattered the most was getting Minako to her new home… Again, he wasn’t entirely sure why he was even bothering to help the teenager, but he knew that he couldn’t leave someone in her current, confused state alone.

He fished his pockets for the key to his apartment back in Sector 003, and once it was retrieved, Nicolas presented it to Minako. There wasn’t much to be said about the key other than it having K-3 engraved on its surface. He pointed to the key and hoped Minako would understand what he was trying to say. Do you have a key like this? Whatever key you get is where you’re gonna be staying.

[foolishqueen]

Yeah, that probably wasn't the most intelligent idea. Guess it'd just been so long.

The last time Minako recalled raising her Evoker was when she and her friends had conquered Nyx. The time elapsed between then and now were a blurr; she was fairly sure something had happened to bring her here right after that. Notwithstanding, summoning was not something any of the S.E.E.S. members were prone to showing people outside of the ones that already knew. It seemed as if this city was no stranger to people with strange and often extravagant powers, though, with its vast populace of hidden faces and its near-constant eery lambeny.    

A faint jingling tore Minako from her thoughts as Nicolas bore his apartment key. He gestured once, twice, as if asking her whether or not she had a key similar to it. She'd seen them before, clutched within the fingers of the apartment-dwellers in Sector 001. She'd never edged to close to the buildings themselves, as people tended to be somewhat protective of their dwellings. Still, it did seem a significant amount more inviting than the tiny cardboard "home" awaiting her back in District Alpha. She had no possessions beside her weaponry and a small billfold that she kept tucked within her clothing. The box she had been granted upon arrival sat barren-- but she had not returned to it since the first time she'd seen it. They were too closely-packed, and there was no telling who would take advantage of how easily a box could be torn and invaded. For the 4 some-odd days she'd been within the city walls, she'd taken to scurrying up ladders and attempting to bunk at the tops of buildings, as out-of-sight as one could manage. Somehow, that just seemed safer.

Watching his key swing lazily from its ring, Minako shook her head, the corner of her mouth tugged up in somewhat of a half grimace, half smile.

"I think the housing is a little... tied up at the moment," she answered, somewhat sheepishly. "I've made, ah, other arrangements in the meantime. Eventually, though."

I hope.

Laughing it off, she drew her gaze away for a moment. She would make the best of a poor situation, and even she admitted to herself that her answer had been sketchy as all hell. In hindsight, she probably should have lied and said she'd lost her key, or something to that effect. Too bad. She'd just have to banish the cardboard nightmare out of her mind for now, and focus on what she came out here to do in the first place.

[foolishqueen]

"More of you? Wow-- it's almost never-ending."

[foolishqueen]

... A ton of people began trailing you.

[sindrianserpent-deactivated2014]

Sketchy indeed. 

If they were in his own world, he would have assumed she was a part of a group of thieves or something of the like.  As far as he knew, whatever she might have been apart of could be completely normal or even noble where she came from. Right now it was not his place to pry.

"It is a pleasure to meet you as well, Miss Minako." he replied as he took her hand and gave it a gentle shake. “I am still fairly unfamiliar with everything that this city has to offer, but you may find something similar to your previous occupation to help you get on your feet financially." 

[foolishqueen]

She chuckled heartily at the thought-- she could not possibly imagine anyone being in need of a group of haughty teenagers with magical powers  to stomp out their apartment's "living darkness" infestation. While the idea was heavily amusing, it was... a moot point. She'd have to get good at something else, and quickly. Still, she could not help but let honest laughter bubble and spill forth.

"I highly doubt that-- such a... a service would be pretty useless here. I'm afraid I'll just have to wait until someone's in need of the small amount of skills a full-time student can offer. It's laughable, but I guess that's just how it is!"

[foolishqueen]

"Where to next, I wonder?"

[foolishqueen]

not in Iwatodai anymore.

[koukonshu]

OK, she gets that I’m deaf… That’s good. Nicolas thought as the girl seemed to give him a silent affirmation to his disability. Communicating would become much more difficult, and the Twilight couldn’t help but give a grunt at the idea of having to use simple gestures. He scratched his head in annoyance, but his eyes were soon fixed upon the small badge and holster that the girl had pointed to. Well, in Nicolas’ case, it was the holster and the gun-like object that sat in it that caught his interest the most. Because he wasn’t too polite of a person, the Twilight leaned over and quickly snatched the object out the holster.

He fiddled with the object while still reading the girl’s lips, curious as to how she was given a gun upon just arriving. Tch, and then I’m stuck with this fuckin’ wooden sword… Assholes… At least it gets the job done well enough, I guess. The gun didn’t appear to have any sort of safety on it, and Nicolas was curious as to what would happen if he pulled the trigger. Without much hesitation, the deaf male pointed the gun at a faraway wall further down the alleyway. He wasn’t much of a sharpshooter compared to Worick, but he at least knew how to use a gun. With a simple squeeze of the trigger, Nicolas waited for a bullet to fly out, but… there was nothing. Even if there was a bang, he would have been unable to hear it.

He groaned, obviously disappointed by the result and held the “gun" back in front of the girl. He noticed that the girl was still feeling rather distressed, and he felt a little bit bad for acting so rashly and stealing her object. But, he had never once encountered another person with the same… accessories as the girl. As he held the gun out to the girl, Nicolas could only give a solemn shake of his head. If anything, shouldn’t she be more worried about herself than finding her friends that might not even be here? The Twilight thought, confused by the teenager’s selflessness. 

Another awkward silence followed, and Nicolas felt that he should have at least introduced himself to the girl. He reached for the dogtag that was tucked underneath his shirt and showed the engraving for the girl to read. The words written on it were simple enough: Nicolas Brown; Birth ——.—.—; Blood Type B; West Gate Mercenary Troops . The other side had the simple letter and number A/0 written on it, a rank that he was personally proud of. He even said his name to the girl (slowly) in sign language, hoping that she may have been able to remember just that.

[foolishqueen]

Panic overwhelmed the girl, even for just the most paltry window of time. She had not expected this stranger to snatch her Evoker up for closer examination, and being separated from it was oddly alarming. She'd never considered just how hopeless she might be without such an instrument. Luckily for her, the man returned it to her just as quickly as he'd taken it. Reclaiming the tool, she eyed the blatant confusion on his face wearily, torn between explaining, showing, or just letting the whole thing drop for her own sake.

"Well, it's, ahh-- hm?" as she began a stumbling explanation, she was cut short by the retrieval of his tags, a signal to carefully inspect what had been engraved into them.

She scanned the tags with muted interest, drawing just close enough to make out the indented information. He'd seemed normal enough-- but being able to identify him as a "mercenary troop" answered a large some of questions she'd withheld about his seemingly rugged appearance. Minako might have been considered a fighter, but likely nothing comparable to him, if what he was showing her was, indeed, factually accurate. Anyone deemed a mercenary would likely laugh until they suffocated at the idea of a bunch of goofy vigilante teenagers fighting creepy-crawlies after dark.

Shaking the thoughts from her mind, the man raised his hands and made a point to mime the correct signs for his name. Though her attempt was feeble and sloppy, she managed to get it down enough that someone with half a brain would understand what she was trying to do. She paused for a moment, wishing she had  a way to draw the three distinct characters from her name. It was a shame, she'd have to do it some other time.

"And I'm Minako Arisato," she offered, the smile briefly returning to her face. "I'm not-- well, I'm not anything too special. Just a high school student with an iffy part-time job."

I guess that's the only way I can safely put it, huh? As for the Evoker...

"Forgive me if I have difficulty explaining the device," she added, turning it over within her palms, since she'd not yet returned it to its normal resting place. "It's special."

She deliberated whether she should be honest about the evoker's true nature-- though her naginata was not just for show, her real power source was determined by whether or not she had the tool she needed to summon it. It was a special case, and she was lucky she'd been allowed to keep it upon entering the city. Fingers twitching against the steel, the "S.E.E.S." brand peeking out from under her grip, Minako raised the evoker to the side of her skull, a habit formed from doing it so many times. However, the noise from the still-busy walkway was enough to ground her, her arm quickly dropping away. There was no reason to reveal that to anyone-- especially within the sight of so many people. Shaking her head with a short laugh, Minako shrugged and strapped it back to her thigh.

"I'm sorry, now's just not the time to be so honest. Perhaps once I've escaped the sights of an entire district of people, I can be more truthful about it."