Nora Mesa

Silent By Nature Brilliant by Design

[morelikeamirror]

"So you’re a people watcher then."

[noras-design]

"In so many words.  Yes."

[morelikeamirror]

"What is?"

[noras-design]

"People.   People are interesting."

[alecia-jfc]

"What? What’s so interesting?"

[noras-design]

"The way people react upon the entrance of royalty.  They all change their behavior quite instantly, and I find it interesting to see what those changes are."

[crowneddaniel]

Cocking a brow, he stopped tapping his pen on the desk. “You are one of few people I can count on one hand who would say that about this.” At that, he waved the papers in his hand. “Not everyone appreciates the inventory lists of all the different shops on Izanami.”

[noras-design]

"Izanami is like a machine.  There are all sorts of cogs and spindles that make it run.  The people are the fuel and the items they need are the electricity.  Why would I not find it interesting?"

[noras-design]

"Interesting indeed....."

[alicelblack]

It’s okay, Alice wanted to say. I don’t even sleep anyway. She probably didn’t look it. The young princess was a master when it came to covering up blemishes and under eye circles with makeup. But since the shooting, she hadn’t slept. She hadn’t been able to. There were too many demons and memories haunting her. “I guess whichever would work best for you,” she said, thinking it over. “I don’t really… Do much. Although in the evening I do have…something.” Her cello lessons. The one thing she had to herself, every evening. Just her, the instructor and the beautiful instrument. Nobody else needed to know. “So. Just not the evening.”

[noras-design]

"Whatever time you want, is when we will meet.  I can make time when it's convenient to you," she said," If it interrupts less time for you and when you are with your friends, then that is ideal.  I don't like excuses for not coming to a session, it shows where your priorities lie.  So choose what you want and let me know.  Until then, don't let yourself get cornered."  She made the point to bring the conversation back to the point of this training.  Or the point the little girl would assume it's for.  Turning she walked back toward her original destination, giving Alice the time she needed to decide what she wanted.  Once she knew, the girl could come find her.

[alicelblack]

"Each night," Alice began, swallowing the lump that had appeared in her throat. "The guards outside my door leave. There’s a—a nightly poker game or something. It usually starts at midnight and can last as late as four." This was it. She wasn’t going to be afraid anymore. She would be able to protect Kellan like had protected her. She could do something for herself. She could progress and get rid of the fears. She could get her old life back. And it was that desire that blocked out the voice in her head warning her not to go. "That’s the only window I’ve got." Alice, what are you doing?! 

[noras-design]

"Idiots...." was all Nora had to say about the guards leaving her door.  Clearly, there was more that needed to be done with the guards in this palace if this was the how they did their jobs.  She shook her head with disappointment at the thought.

"That being said," she focused on Alice once more,"You underestimate the actual power I have.   There's no need for you to lose sleep in this training.  In fact, I recommend not doing so.  My level of security allows me time with Haze participants for how I see fit or needed.  Would you prefer morning or afternoon sessions?"

[alicelblack]

It was the feel of his hands on her. The smell of sewage on his breath. It was the way his eyes leered at her as if she were a steak for the taking. It was how quickly he had acted. It was how much she had fought, her valiant effort and she would have lost without Kellan. It was the pain that crackled through her skull when she had rammed her forehead into Bowler’s, expecting some sort of fall and getting none. It was the dampness of that alley. The feel of the dirt and stones beneath her shoes. It was the memory of how she fought and fought, but all efforts were futile. She had lost. She had lost and had it not been for Kellan she would have been six feet under.

It was the memory of how she ran. The want to learn how to fight, but not actually knowing how. She was a Princess. She was a Lynx. All she knew how to do was run and she was damn good at it too. Even now, when she went on her daily runs, she was still good at it. She kept thinking she was chasing something, when in reality she was just running away. It was the words that fell from Nora’s lips. The promises that she made. The two of them, standing alone in that corridor. Facing off.

It was how Alice had just felt. It was how she had been trapped by all those reporters and she had done nothing. It was how she had been living in fear for a month now and all she had managed to do was learn how to play an instrument. It was how the classical music soothed her, took her away, but it was also how it kept hiding her from what she feared. It was how Kellan vowed to protect her, and she vowed to protect him—but she didn’t have the skills to do so. She barely had the authority. She was so angry. So afraid. She was capable of nothing. She had endured something so horrific and traumatizing and she was still locked away like a caged animal. It was how she was driving herself crazy from sleepless nights and looking over her shoulders and wondering if the memories would ever go away. It was the scar on her arm that would be a constant reminder of what she had gone through. It was the scar on Kellan’s stomach that would be a constant reminder of what she couldn’t do.

It was how she hated feeling scared. She hated it—but that’s all she ever was now. Just scared. Those were all the reasons that drove her to her decision. Reason that helped make her decision final, even though deep down inside she knew that she shouldn’t. But she wanted it all to stop. Maybe this would be the way to do it. Maybe. She was just so fucking tired and all she wanted was for the world to be quiet for just a damn minute but it just kept getting louder. 

The woman’s warnings did nothing to deter her, though they should have had. “How can we do this?” Alice finally asked, her voice cracking only slightly. “I’m under twenty-four hour surveillance and watch.”

[noras-design]

Victory.  It was true that Nora had always had a way to get people to come to her when she wanted them.  Her calculating mind knew how to string the words to turn someone into the puppet she needed.  Her plans for Alice weren't fully formed just yet, but there was a certain need for the girl and this small admittance of wanting to learn to fight was the in that Nora needed.

Letting the grin show on her face she started with," Well, it seems you're not as hopeless after all then."

She started taking one step at a time toward the girl, a slow canter as if this were simply a walk in the park, a stopped just before her," Name the time Princess.  We'll start the basics and see if we can keep those tears away."

[slightlyedged]

It was a question, not an assumption.

[noras-design]

You're boring me.  If your only talent in avoidance is to make the conversation go round in circles, then please find some other victim who can't recognize your tactic.

[slightlyedged]

Sparing my feelings now?

[noras-design]

Not taking your own advice on assumptions?

[alicelblack]

Tomorrow men with weapons looking to do you real harm. Did she have to say that? Memories flashed across Alice’s mind and all she wanted to do was scream or punch something. But a princess kept everything bottled in. A princess showed her strength and how demure she could be in a time of crisis. She had survived. She had survived the trauma of the situation. She had carried her friend to safety. She had been brave and she had survived. Kellan had showed her that. Kellan had helped her see that.

Alice’s jaw locked as she listened to the woman speak, her thoughts becoming loud and clear, and she tried to figure out the best source of way to leave. The reporters were probably still lurking around and she would have to wait for them to disperse. Until then, she was stuck wit Nora. There won’t always be a friend there to save you when someone sends a bullet your way. Tears rimmed in her eyes, but she didn’t look away. She stood her ground. She was tired of being pushed around by this woman—whether it was intentional or not—and she wanted all the lies to stop.

"Why should I trust you?" she asked, her voice razor sharp. After the incident Alice had grown angrier than she had been before. Angrier and sadder and she wanted all of it to stop. She wanted to return to her old life and just be Alice again. The princess. But things had changed. Things were becoming far worse in her life and she didn’t know how to stop it. "All of this Haze shit—everything that’s happened with that—is because of you and your team. If we weren’t locked away like some animals, then we would have no need to sneak out." She wasn’t necessarily blaming Nora—she knew better than to outsource the blame when it belonged in her very own backyard—but she was angry. And truth of the matter? She did want to learn how to fight for herself. It showed in her eyes.

"I don’t have any reason to believe a thing you say or a promise you make."

[noras-design]

Nora allowed a slight smile to appear on her face," You don't have to trust me.  That's the beauty of it.   You get the training that clearly has been withheld from you.  I get the satisfaction of knowing there's one less helpless girl on the street just waiting to be slaughtered.  There's no trust needed."

She rolled her shoulders as if this conversation were casual and she was destressing herself," As far as believing me.  It's not like I'm luring you away to some hidden cave.  We'll be in public areas if you really feel unease, and you can walk away whenever you like.  You'll be no worse off than you are now."

She knew the girl was interested, it was like handing candy to a child.  She may not know Nora's ulterior motives in this offer, but they were of the type that she'd likely never have to know.  

She let the smile drop and her face became stern once more," I will warn you now though.  It's going to be tough.  I don't believe in holding someone's hand when teaching.  Either you have the drive to get through it, or you walk away defeated.  Soft, is not a word in my personal dictionary when it comes training."

[slightlyedged]

Isn’t that convenient?

[noras-design]

Not the word I would use... but if it makes you feel better.  Sure.

[slightlyedged]

You mean there’s something you don’t know? Or aren’t ready to assume that you do know as concrete truth?

[noras-design]

Or perhaps I'm tired of giving you free advice and feel you should work for it.

[slightlyedged]

You know what they say when you assume?

[noras-design]

Enlighten me.

[slightlyedged]

By everyone, right? Everyone that you’ve met or never met? Will ever meet? There will never be anyone that doesn’t fit this belief of yours?

[noras-design]

Don't take it as a challenge.   I get it, you think you're special, that you shouldn't be lumped in with everyone else.  That your pain is unique and that your suffering is indeed justified.    I'm not saying it's not.  I'm saying, that clearly you need to think about what you're doing to yourself.  Your life is what you make it and if you choose to drown your sorrows to feel like you're right, then have at it. Just don't expect some pity party to be waiting for you.  If you can't stand up for yourself, no one else is going to do it for you.

[alicelblack]

She was thankful, yes, but that didn’t mean she suddenly liked the woman. She didn’t like the way she was looking at her or she didn’t like what she could possibly be thinking. All of it was just driving her crazy. She was getting all riled up—just by that look. But maybe that was just left over agitation. “No, they did not,” she said firmly, trying to keep the emotion out of her voice. “When reporters hound you, you just give as many vague answers as possible or say no comment.” 

[noras-design]

"Well that's the most idiotic thing I've heard today," she said, her tone remaining the same," How are you supposed to keep yourself safe if all you've been trained to do is say 'no comment'.  That's not going to stop anyone.  Today, men with cameras, tomorrow men with weapons looking to do you real harm."

She started to pace slowly.  A few calculated steps right, her arms still crossed and her eyes on her feet.  She shook her head to push her hair behind her shoulder before turning on her heel to walk back left.  "This won't do.  It's just plain sad.  Everyone deserves at least something to help them protect themselves.  There won't always be a friend there to safe you when someone sends a bullet your way."  

She stopped again where she stood before, facing Alice once more and squinting her eyes slightly in her direction.  In the past she had found the princess more annoying than she was worth, and every interaction they had seemed to end on sour notes.    However, she was one participant that Nora had special interest in.  After her meeting with Julian she realized there was a bit of backpedaling needed when it came to her select few choices.

"And what would you say if I could show you a bit of how to fight for yourself?"

[slightlyedged]

You really believe that, don’t you?

[noras-design]

Given it's truth and the fact that it's proven itself time and time again.  Yes.