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Post by Oliver on Mar 24, 2009 18:04:48 GMT -5
It's a sunny, clear day, sometime in April and the streets of the theater district are busy with activity as people go about their daily lives. Shopping, eating, working, they are the people of the merchant class here, living out their lives in blissful content. On every street here, there stands one thing that appears out of place, a soldier or soldiers. Main roads in and out of the district have a detachment of the regent's Guard, manning a check-point. They inspect papers and pat down people that cross from the other neighboring districts.
Walls and store fronts are plastered with bills, telling people to report suspicious activity. Some have names and faces on them of wanted men and women, others are propaganda about the efforts to keep everyone safe from the terrorism of the LPA.
Despite this, the people walk about as they would anywhere else, perhaps just with an air of suspicion and caution, some with frustration, and others blissfully happy.
*BOOM*
Suddenly a storefront explodes without warning, sending fire and debris into the street. People scatter and run for cover, screaming and crying.
--Elsewhere--
"You going to keep up, Ollie?" Says a Burmecian male with a boonie hat and dingy coat. He stands, waiting up against a wall littered with graffiti.
"Quiet, ye! I'm movin, I am." Another burmecian, with a long flowing coat and several satchels strapped around his shoulders yells back to the first as he runs up beside him. "Kay, over ta wall." The two spring up and over, using their burmecian jumping ability to their best advantage. They land on a nearby roof and run, jumping from roof to roof.
As they pass from one street to the next, the scenery changes from hobbles of the ghettos to nicer and nicer neighborhoods. In one neighborhood, they jump down into an alley.
"Got the papers?" "Ya, Sid, don'eed to keep chewin me ear off about it." Oliver hands a little folded book to Sid, he takes it and stuffs it in a pocket.
"So vhich restaurant is it?" Sid asks, peeking out from the alley to the main street.
"One next ta Guard station, gonna give tem one hel'av a lunch today, we are." Oliver slides up behind Sid.
"Yea, vell, the Fashion District all looks alike to me. Lead on." Oliver pats Sid on the shoulder and both calmly walk out to the main street. Acting casual, looking about as anyone would. Above them, just on ahead is a little sparrow with blue eyes, watching the street below her flight.
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Post by Iole on Mar 24, 2009 22:59:37 GMT -5
(OOC: Historical moment here. The first time I post as "adult" Iole. And in a few minutes, I'll have a new avatar)
::Meanwhile, down on the ground, walking lightly along the semi-busy streets of the Fashion District, to anyone watching, it would look like a young girl, probably sixteen or seventeen, talking to herself. However, no one would guess that she's actually talking to someone through a very distinctive silver hairclip with a moon and sun stylistically set into it. She's wearing some very tom-boyish clothing, a blue tanktop under a loose black coat, and a pair of loose black jeans held up around her slim waist by a thick leather belt with a chain attached to it. She takes pauses in between her sentences where to allow whoever she's talking to commune back::
Yes mom I'll be careful..... Of course I heard about the rioting.... Look I promise I'm just here for shopping.... What?.... That's ridiculous. Why would I be looking for Oliver.......
::Whatever the other person is saying, it must be something the girl would rather keep to herself since her face suddenly reddens::
Oh that's real mature Eva. That's very mature.
(OOC: Aaaaaaannd... bam! There it is, the new Iole)
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Post by Oliver on Mar 24, 2009 23:05:02 GMT -5
A bird's song catches Iole attention for a moment, a little sparrow, perched atop a lamp-post. It hops along the short decortive rod jutting out from shaft. Strikeningly and strange, the birds eyes are a brilliant shade of blue. It flutters its wing, then takes flight, darting over Iole's head and down the street.
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Post by Iole on Mar 24, 2009 23:17:47 GMT -5
::Iole stops in her tracks, taking notice of the bird::
Eva, I'll call you back..... Oh for crying out loud you're starting to sound like The Old Crow.... Yeah, love you too. Bye.
::Her keen eyes allow her to follow the bird's flight as it zips around a corner::
Long time no see.
::She ducks into an alley and looks both ways to make sure no one is watching her. Once she's sure she's clear, she closes her eyes and focuses::
Leap of the Cat.
::She leaps straight at the wall, pushing off with her legs to hit the other wall and push up again, zig-zagging upward between the two walls until she lands gracefully on the rooftop. She casts her eyes around, searching for the little sparrow that just vanished::
Alright Emily, what exactly is Ollie up to?
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Post by Oliver on Mar 24, 2009 23:30:55 GMT -5
Iole's cat-eyes catch the movement of the bird in the crowd below. There it stops, resting on a burmecian's shoulder. The burmecian is dressed in a long leathery coat of a very earthy color which a stripped tail emerges out from the back. Atop his head, nestled in his hair are a pair of familiar goggles. He also wears gloves, which the little sparrow has jumped onto, perched on a finger.
"Vhat does she see?" Asks the other burmecian beside him.
The first burmecian listens in, his ears twitching up and down. "She saw someun-" "Guards?" The second one asks in dire earnest. "No, no, ca'm down Sid." He pauses for a moment. "Gah, is frantic. Emily, shhh. Sett'e down will ye. Here." He puts the bird back on his shoulder. "'Et's wa'k an ta'k."
The second one, named Sid, rolls his eyes. "Ollie, ve don't have time for games." Ollie backhands Sid in the stomach. "Hush, ta restaurant is just ahead anyway." He points through the crowd. "We'll worry about wat Emily saw after."
The two start walking again, heading towards a little cafe nestled on the street corner beside a small guard-station just up ahead on the road to their right.
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Post by Iole on Mar 24, 2009 23:52:45 GMT -5
::Iole's odd pointed ears twitch beneath her night black hair, picking up every word of the conversation. A wicked little grin crosses her face as she whispers to herself again::
Ollie... so it stuck.
::She crouches down and starts shadowing the two Burmecians, keeping quiet and staying low as she leaps across the rooftops after them::
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Post by Oliver on Mar 25, 2009 0:02:37 GMT -5
"So how ve doing this one?" Asks Sid as they approach the the cafe restaurant. "Jus follow me lead, be in an out." Oliver grabs Sid by the arm as they cross the street to the cafe. The approach the entrance, where a police officer stands. He asks for papers and they present them to the officer, he scans them quickly, looks at the two, the allows them to enter.
Through a window, Iole can see the two take a seat at a small table. Oliver takes off one of his satchels and places it beside his chair as he sits down, facing away from the door. Sid sits opposite him and the two appear to start up a conversation. The cafe itself appears to be filled with mostly Lindblum military having lunch.
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Post by Iole on Mar 25, 2009 0:14:26 GMT -5
::Iole lands back on the ground just outside the cafe::
Now do I want to stay and watch, or should I just go in and surprise him... You look like you're up to something shady Ollie. Now how do I get in there?
::She won't be able to get past the guard without papers. She never has papers, and thanks to her unusual upbringing, most records of her disappeared after she turned eleven. As far as beauracracy was concerned, she didn't exist. It still surprises her how many people only remember her as "The Witch's Surrogate". She waits a moment for someone else to enter, then ducks behind a corner and changes shape. If the woman entering the cafe were to look down, she'd probably scream at the sight of a little white mouse with black ears scurrying through the door as the guard opens it for her. Thankfully she doesn't, and the little mouse is free to make her way under an unoccupied table near where Oliver and Sid are sitting. Iole returns to her normal state and takes a seat at the table like she's been there all along and hides her face behind her menu, occasionally peeking over its edge at the Burmecians::
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Post by Oliver on Mar 25, 2009 0:23:30 GMT -5
The two burmecian's heads are buried in the menu, looking inconspicuous. Below the table however, Oliver's hand is busy rummaging through the satchel beside his chair, against the wall. It moves as if it was an entity entirely unto itself.
A waiter stops at their table, dropping off glasses of water and Oliver quickly removes his hand from the bag and thanks the waiter as he takes the glass and drinks. He then turns to Sid, who has set down his menu.
"Ready to order?" Asks the waiter. Oliver looks to Sid. "Just a moment." "Alright then, I'll be back shortly."
Oliver watches the waiter leave and Iole can see in his eyes the he is starting to grow nervous. Sid's eyes dart back and forth around the cafe, watching the soldiers eat and talk. "Hov much longer vill you take to decide vhat you want?" Oliver slyly reaches down back into the satchel. "No much lon'er now."
As this is happening, Emily hops along Oliver's shoulder, poking him with her beak, trying to get his attention. Oliver tries his best to ignore the bird, his mind obviously concentrating on what he's doing in the satchel.
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Post by Iole on Mar 25, 2009 0:28:09 GMT -5
::Iole lowers her menu in a better attempt to get a look at what Oliver is doing. That look on his face is making her very wary, and she starts to wonder if this was a mistake. What had her friend gotten himself into? And who's the shady Burmecian with the thick accent sitting next to him?::
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Post by Oliver on Mar 25, 2009 0:39:57 GMT -5
The waiter returns and asks if they are ready.
"A'other moment." Oliver says, his hand quickly moving to his lap.
The waiter sighs and walks off.
Sid appears to be growing anxious with each passing moment. "Vhy you takin so long I'm- I'm hungry dammit." "I don't know." Oliver says with frustration. "Sometin wrong wit ta menu. Jus another second, I can do tis. Uh... go to the bathroom or sumtin." Sid nods, slides his chair out and walks to the back of the cafe, disappearing behind a wall of beads hanging from a door less frame.
When Sid departs, Oliver returns back to rummaging through the satchel as clandestinely as possible. The movement in his mouth shows he's talking to himself as he fiddles with whatever is inside the bag.
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Post by Iole on Mar 25, 2009 0:46:31 GMT -5
::Now that he's alone, Iole decides it's safer to approach him. She takes the chance to get a better look at his face. As if the accent, the sparrow, and the goggles weren't enough, his steely blue eyes prove it beyond doubt that she had found her best friend, older, bigger, and a little more rugged (in a surprisingly attractive way) but it was still the same ole' Ollie. Her stomach starts fluttering as she gets nearer. It's been so long since they last saw each other and there was a lot she wanted to tell him, a lot she wanted to hear, but first she wanted to get a snapshot of his reaction when he saw her. As subtly as possible, she crosses the cafe and slides into the chair where Sid had just been sitting::
Lindblum always did look lovely in the Autumn didn't it Ollie. But I've never seen it in the summer.
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Post by Oliver on Mar 25, 2009 0:57:43 GMT -5
Oliver practically jumps from his seat, his hand shooting out of the satchel. Emily even jumps up, flutters, then lands back down on his shoulder. His eyes and face look as if he was just shot in the back. His breathing is quick and fast, then once he appears to calm down a little, he speaks.
"Oh... don'do tat. Wat do ye want?"
It takes him a moment, looking over the woman sitting at the table with him. Something in those eyes and in the words she spoke.
"I kno ye... don't I?" He stares at her, somewhat strangely. "I...Iaa... Iole? Iole!?" His mouth says with a wide smile and with bright eyes. "Iole! Wha-wha-what are you doin here? An wow, ye grown, its been, wat? Six years? My gods."
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Post by Iole on Mar 25, 2009 1:06:21 GMT -5
I seem to remember you promised you wouldn't forget me, and now you can barely say my name. What have you been doing with yourself? Lillith said she hasn't heard from you in a few months. You know if she weren't so busy running her school, I'll bet the Old Crow would swoop down here right now. Now you want to tell me what you're doing here? You're making me a little nervous.
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Post by Oliver on Mar 25, 2009 1:22:49 GMT -5
"Uh... No I never forgot ye, tats for sure! Jus, ye kinda start'ed me there. Wasn'expecting anyone ta just sit down an ta'k ta me." Oliver looks around quickly then leans in closer to Iole, whispering. "Ye really shouldn't have come here-" *Bang bang* The glass window rattles next to the table, beyond it is Sid. He raises his wrist and taps it, then seeing Iole sitting there. He throws his hands into the air in frustration and walks off.
Oliver rubs his eyes in frustration with his thumb and index finger, then reaches back into the satchel for a moment. "Iole, gonna need ye ta follow me." There's a tiny little sound of a beep emit from the satchel, followed by Oliver quickly getting out of his seat and grabbing Iole by the arm. "Sometin in the back I wan ta show ye." Before Iole can even protest, Oliver's strength pulls her out of the seat and makes her walk closely beside him as they pass through the beads and make a beeline for a backdoor. Using his body to throw the door open, Oliver brings Iole onto a back street. "Run!" With his hand still around her arm, the two run past the window beside the seat they were just at. Sid steps out from the corner, Oliver just nods to him and out from Sid's coat emerges a sawed-off shotgun.
*Bam* Sid fires, the buckshot from the blast preforating the police officer that took their paper, the shot throws the officer back against the door as he collapses.
"Go, go!" Yells Sid, covering their backs.
The people in the streets scream and run for cover. The Guards inside the cafe scramble out of their seats. Then, Oliver grabs Iole by the head and ducks her down, his body covering hers.
A large explosion erupts from the cafe, fire and debris fly into the air all around them. The concussion ripples over her body, making it ache, and the noise rings in her ears. She feels herself being pulled once again. It's pure confusion, people running everywhere, screaming, blood, fire and smoke choke her senses.
"Get in!" Yells Sid, beside him an open manhole. Oliver helps, practically forcing Iole down inside. He follows after. Another blast from Sid's shotgun erupts and he drops down onto the ladder and slides the lid close.
Once inside and on the ground, Sid accosts Oliver. "Vhat happened back there and Vho is she!? Dammit! Connolly vill have our heads!"
Oliver tries to calm him. "I'm sorry, sorry. Tis is Iole... a friend of mine from a long time ago." He turns to her then, hands on her shoulders. "Iole, ye a'right? Iole!?"
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Post by Iole on Mar 25, 2009 1:39:32 GMT -5
::Under his paw like hands, Oliver can feel Iole's shoulders trembling::
Ollie, please tell me this isn't what it looks like. Please tell me you did not just detonate an explosion in the cafe we were just eating at where all those innoccent bystanders were.
::Her eyebrows knit together angrily over her now moist blue eyes::
Tell me what the hell just happened!
::She bares her teeth and snarls as she tries to shake him off::
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Post by Oliver on Mar 25, 2009 1:51:18 GMT -5
"Iole..." Oliver's voice is low and ashamed, he steps back to give her room. "I, los has happen'd since we las saw each other-"
"Its called var." Sid butts in, standing between them, arms crossed, looking stern and annoyed. "An you just valked into the middle of it."
Oliver sighs, knowing full well there's no easy way to talk out of this. "Iole, I dunno wat ta say. I wish ye hadn't seen tat, I real'y do."
"Vell, ve can't stay here in this stink hole." Sid chimes in, with a snappy tone. "She coming vith us, you two can catch up as ve valk. Good? Now valk!" Sed steps aside, letting Oliver and Iole pass. He flicks his gun open, two shells discharging, making a hollow clank against the stone floor. He reloads the weapon and cracks it closed.
Oliver shakes his head. "Iole...?"
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Post by Iole on Mar 25, 2009 2:04:12 GMT -5
Don't touch me.
::Iole says abruptly. She walks beside him, but only because she has no choice. A hundred different emotions are running through her head right now. She feels confusion for Oliver's actions, decimating an entire cafe ending who knows how many lives in a flash, she feels sorrow for the men who have left their families behind because they will never walk out of that cafe again, and she feels anger at Oliver for taking what should have been a very happy event, tying it to a tree and then brutally bludgeoning it to death with a shovel. After a few moments of silence, she hisses through gritted teeth::
How long Oliver. How long has this been going on? How long have you been playing insurgent. I think you owe me at least an explanation.
::Then she adds bitterly::
We are friends aren't we?
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Post by Oliver on Mar 25, 2009 2:22:15 GMT -5
Oliver sighs, he didn't like the fact she used his full name. That filled him with more dread and anxiety then any battle he has fought in. "Full out war has been goin on'or a year now. I-i-it's a good cause, ye have to be'ieve me. We're trying to bui'd a better wor'd, we are." His speech starts to slip into more of the guttural street dialect as he tries to explain himself. "A'l of ta pro'etariate is figh'in."
"Ollie, your slipping." Sid interjects from behind them. "Listen, Iole, right? The Regent has tried to suppress our class for years now, going so far as to execute anyone voicing an opposition to his authority. Ve try and pull ourselves out of destitution an he puts his boot in our face. Now, this var is all ve have left."
"Sid, p'ease? Let me do tis?" Oliver scolds back, Sid responds with a raise of his hands. "Iole, its ug'y out tere. Real ug'y but we have to do wat we must. For the good of all of us. P'ease... I can't ask ye ta forgive me, just hear me out."
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Post by Iole on Mar 25, 2009 2:28:11 GMT -5
::Iole looks back at him, her sky blue eyes hardening into ice. She is going to seriously regret what she's about to say, but there's no holding it back now::
"Trying to make a better world." "For the good of all of us." Sacrificing the lives of the one for the many. I remember hearing almost those exact same words from someone else. His name was August.
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