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Post by Lady Leaf on Jul 20, 2011 23:45:15 GMT -5
[scrolly:h(230),w(390),sy,as(padding:4px;margin-top:10px;margin-left:10px;)] He couldn’t make it clearer… Figured. Nothing ever came easy, did it? Well, for some it did but he had be learning he was not one of those people who had things he wanted given to him. He had to work for or search for everything he wanted. It seemed this was no different. What was worse, he had no idea how to discovered he wasn’t truly alone. Wouldn’t that mean he would need to find someone he believed he was close to. Someone who truly knew him? He didn’t believe he had anyone like that. Not a single soul. But… with Nero’s last words… perhaps he had somewhere to start.
“Have you ever… killed someone out of hatred or jealousy?” He asked. He knew very well that she had killed but he didn’t know to the full extent. Besides, he did not ask because of her. He asked for himself. It was attempt to open up perhaps that tiny bit more. Though he wasn’t sure where this opening to the conversation would lead he was oddly willing to give it a chance. He knew very well he was being foolish for doing this. The more she knew about him the more strings she could use against him if it ever came to that. Yet at this moment all he wanted was… well he wasn’t even sure. Perhaps just comfort. [/scrolly] [bg=black] |
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Jay
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Post by Jay on Jul 21, 2011 0:03:27 GMT -5
[atrb=style,background-image:url(http://i219.photobucket.com/albums/cc64/Heart-of-Thorns/VC/NeroText.png);][atrb=width, 497][atrb=height, 297][atrb=style,border:0 teal none,b,Table][scrolly:h(216),w(251),sy,as(padding:4px 0px 5px;margin-top:50px;margin-left:242px;color:#3c6b72;)]At the question that was posed to her, Nero slowly looked up at Lance with her still calm expression. "I've contemplated it," she answered back. "But I've resolved to not corrupt my own heart by doing it." That. That was the reason that idiot Count still lived, the one who had angered her for trying to say things he didn't even understand. She wouldn't fall down the path to such killing. It was a breach in the art of it as an assassin. One does not choose the target. "I also do not wish to give anyone the personal satisfaction of knowing they earned such hate from me that it was enough to push me to kill them." [/scrolly] |
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Post by Lady Leaf on Jul 21, 2011 0:26:31 GMT -5
[scrolly:h(230),w(390),sy,as(padding:4px;margin-top:10px;margin-left:10px;)] Lance found himself looking to the ground as she claimed she hadn’t killed anyone out of anger or jealousy. Her words explaining why she wouldn’t only made him feel that much more depressed. Yet he still would not and did not feel the guilt of his past actions. No, he never would. “I suppose I have a corrupted heat then.” He claimed, still looking at the ground as he folded his hands in front of him. “But that comes to no surprise to me.” the satisfaction of giving someone the knowledge that they drove him to kill… no, for some reason Lance doubted the people he hurt to have any satisfaction out of that. He was certain they would be disappointed if anything. But he didn’t care. He didn’t need their approval… He didn’t need anyone’s approval. No, his jealously over Felis and Ferd had nothing to do with needing approval. It was the fact that Lance was having a harder time earning Felis’s trust to gain his own selfish wishes. Why was he even sulking over such a foolish thing? He should be angry over it not butt hurt. How foolish he was being. Growing so week and for what? A friend? Yet… he did still feel lonely. “Do you think ones heart can ever reopen, or shall it stay corrupted forever?” He didn’t want to heal it yet, but if he could once his goal was met…
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Jay
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Post by Jay on Jul 21, 2011 0:51:03 GMT -5
[atrb=style,background-image:url(http://i219.photobucket.com/albums/cc64/Heart-of-Thorns/VC/NeroText.png);][atrb=width, 497][atrb=height, 297][atrb=style,border:0 teal none,b,Table][scrolly:h(216),w(251),sy,as(padding:4px 0px 5px;margin-top:50px;margin-left:242px;color:#3c6b72;)]At Lance's words, Nero simply stared at the man quietly. At the question, Nero found herself looking at the fire instead. "That's up to you," she answered back picking up a stick from the side pile and prodding the canister in the middle of the fire with it. After a moment, she slid the stick into the metal handle and pulled it out of the fire before throwing the stick into the full fire. "Would you want it to?" she asked continuing her previous words. [/scrolly] |
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Post by Lady Leaf on Jul 21, 2011 1:21:12 GMT -5
[scrolly:h(230),w(390),sy,as(padding:4px;margin-top:10px;margin-left:10px;)] Lance watched as she took the water out of the fire, his mind not fully registering what she was doing as his was lost in thought and listening to her words. With her question he had to really had to think about it for a moment. He seemed to be doing that a lot with everything she said. “I don’t think I’ll know until I reach my goal.” he replied before adding, “But perhaps… if its even possible, Id only want half of it to return. But I suppose one cant truly do that, can they?” He almost had a feeling by then he would be too lost to recover his heart and if he did… he didn’t know if he could live with the guilt of his past. Whether or not that would effect his future to do as he always dreamed he wasn’t sure but didn’t matter. If he made his goals than at lest Rosa would have any life she picked. That was what he truly wanted. [/scrolly] [bg=black] |
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Jay
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Post by Jay on Jul 21, 2011 12:10:34 GMT -5
[atrb=style,background-image:url(http://i219.photobucket.com/albums/cc64/Heart-of-Thorns/VC/NeroText.png);][atrb=width, 497][atrb=height, 297][atrb=style,border:0 teal none,b,Table][scrolly:h(216),w(251),sy,as(padding:4px 0px 5px;margin-top:50px;margin-left:242px;color:#3c6b72;)]Callused hands twisted the lid off of the canister, and a rush of steam escaped. Bubbles at the very top of the water could be seen, yet for all the damage the heat might have done, Nero didn't seem to show any sort of pain towards it. She was too used to it, it seemed. "You cannot regain only a half," Nero stated before reaching back in her bag and pulling out two small red cups with spiraled indentations in them. "It would make you fake, someone who carries a smile but cannot truly smile inside." Nero stopped a moment and looked back up at Lance before reaching a finger to the side of her mouth and slowly shoving it up into what looked like a half smile. However, after she released it, the general placid demeanor returned, and Nero's eyes dropped again as she turned and pulled out a box of tea leaves. [/scrolly] |
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Post by Lady Leaf on Jul 22, 2011 0:07:36 GMT -5
[scrolly:h(230),w(390),sy,as(padding:4px;margin-top:10px;margin-left:10px;)] He had figured as much. Having both would be too much to ask for. Though he still feared retrieving his heart would only put him into an even worse state of depression and guilt. But to be fake… Well… he was deeper into the darkness than he originally believed. No one wonder so many hated, feared and distrusted him. Not that he cared. He’d crush them all if he had to. One by one like little flies caught on duck tape. He liked duck tape. It was… useful.
He watched Nero as she gave herself a half smile, causing him to smirk a bit before looking away and falling back into thought. “I’m afraid I’ve already fallen down that path. Lance stated, “The only reason my little brother still talks to me.[/]” Heck, Lance knew Felis would hate him if he ever found out that Lance was using him all this time. Heck, he would hate him just knowing the real him. He wouldn’t even had to have used the younger man. “Tell me, why did you lose your smile?”
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Jay
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Post by Jay on Jul 22, 2011 0:33:13 GMT -5
[atrb=style,background-image:url(http://i219.photobucket.com/albums/cc64/Heart-of-Thorns/VC/NeroText.png);][atrb=width, 497][atrb=height, 297][atrb=style,border:0 teal none,b,Table][scrolly:h(216),w(251),sy,as(padding:4px 0px 5px;margin-top:50px;margin-left:242px;color:#3c6b72;)]She pulled open the box of tea leaves and threw a few into each of the cups before taking the canister flat handed and starting to pour it then. The water had cooled somewhat causing the canister to cool and be more touchable now.
At the explanation of sorts, Nero held back the question that had come to her. The only reason... because he was fake? Nero didn't truly understand and would not pry knowing damn well she wouldn't want someone prying into her own life. However, it made her wonder sometimes about herself. Was she fake? No. She-. But she hid her gender. No that was her mother's fault. Yes. It was that evil woman's fault for everything....
“Tell me, why did you lose your smile?” This confused Nero, and she found herself blinking lowly at Lance taking in the question as best she could. Did she really lose it? No... when around the gang she could smile sometimes... and... when around the twins... she could smile easier.... She hadn't lost it then. It was just sleeping, yet at the same time... It wasn't enough to explain this, Nero realized. "I've never smiled much. Retaining it for long periods is hard," she answered back before staring down at the cups, picking one up, and holding it out to Lance. "It's hot, be careful," was all that was said after that.
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Post by Lady Leaf on Jul 22, 2011 18:33:12 GMT -5
[scrolly:h(230),w(390),sy,as(padding:4px;margin-top:10px;margin-left:10px;)] Lance took the cup after she finished speaking and found himself looking down into it. She never smiled much? Well, perhaps that meant he had been the only one to lose his smile then. Though he could smile sometimes… a true smile that was. He was certain he could. He just needed the right company and reason to. The only thing that bothered him about it was that he knew as a child… he had smiled. A lot more than he did now. Though he blamed his father for losing it.
“You’re tea is good,” He finally commented after taking a sip and setting it back down in his lap. His eyes once again feel to the cup but he at least didn’t look as pained as when Nero first spotted him that night. “I’m foolish letting such small, unimportant things bother me. I always have been bad at holding my temper.” Really he should have learned by now that planning and then acting was sometimes the best way to solve things, yet instead he found himself sulking. Even though he knew he shouldn’t be he just couldn’t help it. Sometimes he wished he could just get rid of it all together but then… well, it was also his emotions that got him as far as he was in life now, was it not? If not he would have most likely have staid in Era and taken the title of Duke. Just the idea of it made him shutter. [/scrolly] [bg=black] |
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Jay
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Post by Jay on Jul 22, 2011 19:33:18 GMT -5
[atrb=style,background-image:url(http://i219.photobucket.com/albums/cc64/Heart-of-Thorns/VC/NeroText.png);][atrb=width, 497][atrb=height, 297][atrb=style,border:0 teal none,b,Table][scrolly:h(216),w(251),sy,as(padding:4px 0px 5px;margin-top:50px;margin-left:242px;color:#3c6b72;)]Nero was quiet and sipped her tea feeling that solace once again return to her. At the comment on her tea, Nero nodded her head. "Thank you," was all she murmured before sipping it some more. "They're not small if they mean something to you....." after a moment, she picked up her cup again and sipped it more. ".....I have had my own sort of blow ups before," she answered back honestly. "You're human like the rest of us," Nero stated dryly. "We're all subject to things we don't like in ourselves." Nero frowned at her own words quietly before sipping her tea. "Some we can change, others we can't." After a moment, she reached up and pulled at the side of her mouth again forcing herself to smile in turn.
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Post by Lady Leaf on Jul 22, 2011 20:15:12 GMT -5
[scrolly:h(230),w(390),sy,as(padding:4px;margin-top:10px;margin-left:10px;)] Lance sighed as he listened to Nero’s words. The man was right. He was only human though at times he seemed to put himself up onto a throne, forgetting he was nothing more than a man. Well, at least Nero was finding words that calmed him. Perhaps it would help him get his head straight again. The tea and atmosphere certainly were helping. “I’ve been… planning many great things for Era,” Lance suddenly mentioned, his eyes drifting up to the tree lines, “And for it I will have to do many things that I may fallen inside myself and lose sight of my goal.” He wasn’t sure at fist why he was telling Nero this but for some reason he found himself clinging to her. Perhaps because she was the first person he had been able to talk to like this in a long time, “Would you be their to pull me back up, despite the crimes I may commit?” Just one person. He only needed one person to keep an eye on himself. To remind himself of who he was and what he was doing. Why couldn’t it be Nero? So what if he employed her. She was as good as any and have proven to be able to calm him. [/scrolly] [bg=black] |
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Jay
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Post by Jay on Jul 22, 2011 20:47:53 GMT -5
[atrb=style,background-image:url(http://i219.photobucket.com/albums/cc64/Heart-of-Thorns/VC/NeroText.png);][atrb=width, 497][atrb=height, 297][atrb=style,border:0 teal none,b,Table][scrolly:h(216),w(251),sy,as(padding:4px 0px 5px;margin-top:50px;margin-left:242px;color:#3c6b72;)]Nero sipped her tea quietly and listened to Lance speak. He was afraid for his own heart which was something to be understood, and as he talked, she slowly understood more. After a moment, she removed the finger that was still wedged in her jaw forcing the smile and retained said smile forcing up the other half as well. "If that is what you ask of me, I shall be there," she answered back managing to keep her smile still. "Even if you dismiss me, I will be there." With that, her eyes dropped, and she slowly sipped more of her drink. [/scrolly] |
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Post by Lady Leaf on Jul 22, 2011 21:01:50 GMT -5
[scrolly:h(230),w(390),sy,as(padding:4px;margin-top:10px;margin-left:10px;)] Lance found himself looking up from his cup, his eyes glancing at Nero as she kept that smile on her face without the help of her finger. Her words at first didn’t make a huge impact, but as she continued to speak he felt something inside him shift. It was a good feeling. Almost… warm. Perhaps it was a feeling one got when they actually had a friend. Was this man a friend? Yes, for now he would assume as much. Even if she did not feel the same way he oddly gave him comfort to believe it. Almost as much as it gave him comfort to know that someone would stand by his side even if he became a victim of himself. “Thank you,” He replied softly, looking back down at his cup once more as a small smile reached his lips. “Though I have to ask… what compels you to be so loyal to me?” He wasn’t use to it. Most who were loyal to him only did it out of force or the money he offered. He had yet to pay her anything and he had defiantly not forced her into helping him. It was probably wrong of him to question it but he couldn’t help it. It was new to him.
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Jay
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Post by Jay on Jul 22, 2011 21:27:55 GMT -5
[atrb=style,background-image:url(http://i219.photobucket.com/albums/cc64/Heart-of-Thorns/VC/NeroText.png);][atrb=width, 497][atrb=height, 297][atrb=style,border:0 teal none,b,Table][scrolly:h(216),w(251),sy,as(padding:4px 0px 5px;margin-top:50px;margin-left:242px;color:#3c6b72;)]Nero was quiet and simply continued to sip her drink. However, as the question was posed, she lowered said tea and held it in front of herself for a moment not moving. "Because you're someone like me," she answered back before continuing to sip her tea before finally finishing it and starting to pour more water into it now waiting for the actual flavor to mix in again. "And fiends are loyal to one another," she finished slowly before thinking of everyone: all her pokemon....Meteor, Luna, Sol...Asa, Sabine, Gavin..... everyone in the Yakuza...Boss Kamui, Maverick, Rai..... everyone from Tree-Top Town. Aisla, Allis.... They were all her friends....It was in that odd moment Nero found her heart jump ever so slightly before returning to normal. [/scrolly] |
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Post by Lady Leaf on Jul 23, 2011 15:44:35 GMT -5
[scrolly:h(230),w(390),sy,as(padding:4px;margin-top:10px;margin-left:10px;)] Lance had been a tad confused by her first answer. He understood it in some ways but it so broad that it could have meant many things. Her second reason made him smile a tad though. Friends. It almost sounded wired. Now he didn’t have to assume she was his friend either for she had answered it on her own. “It’s been a while since I’ve been able to call someone that.” He claimed, his mind racing a bit to see if there was anyone else he could think of who would be considered a friend. His mind drew a blank so instead he ended up sipping a bit more of his tea. Unlike Nero, he was only half way finished his.
His mind then shifted to the family Mike was suppose to kill but had failed partly due to letting a little girl go. But he wasn’t going to sulk over that any longer. What had been done was done and he will deal with the mess up later. For now, he had another target. One he was certain had no minors. “This is a tad off topic, but I have a job for you, if you want it. Keep in mind, I will allow you to decline it if you so wish.” He straightened his back at that moment and sat up, his dark blue eyes falling on Nero again as he waited to see if she would at least be interested in picking up a job. [/scrolly] [bg=black] |
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Jay
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Post by Jay on Jul 23, 2011 16:16:19 GMT -5
[atrb=style,background-image:url(http://i219.photobucket.com/albums/cc64/Heart-of-Thorns/VC/NeroText.png);][atrb=width, 497][atrb=height, 297][atrb=style,border:0 teal none,b,Table][scrolly:h(216),w(251),sy,as(padding:4px 0px 5px;margin-top:50px;margin-left:242px;color:#3c6b72;)]Nero slowly began to sip her tea again and simply made a 'hm' sound of sorts. However, at the job, she looked upwards and set down her tea again keeping her face calm but wondering why he hadn't simply given the details of sorts already. "What is it?" she asked calmly. [/scrolly] |
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Post by Lady Leaf on Jul 23, 2011 16:45:37 GMT -5
[scrolly:h(230),w(390),sy,as(padding:4px;margin-top:10px;margin-left:10px;)] Was he picking his targets at random? No, there was some reason to the ones he picked while making sure not use any sort of pattern. Nothing that could tie their deaths to him. Yet this job had nothing to do with his company. It was aimed towards his goal. Currently, to weaken the noble families and to put fear into the rest. “Baudin, The Count of the West and his family. The youngest is nineteen.” He wanted to make that clear so she wouldn’t have to worry about killing any minors. There was a young Nephew but he didn’t need the boy targeted. He was far from a threat. “They need to be eliminated. Reasons I shall not be giving.” They were for him to know and no one else. [/scrolly] [bg=black] |
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Jay
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Post by Jay on Jul 23, 2011 17:15:06 GMT -5
[atrb=style,background-image:url(http://i219.photobucket.com/albums/cc64/Heart-of-Thorns/VC/NeroText.png);][atrb=width, 497][atrb=height, 297][atrb=style,border:0 teal none,b,Table][scrolly:h(216),w(251),sy,as(padding:4px 0px 5px;margin-top:50px;margin-left:242px;color:#3c6b72;)]Nero found herself looking downwards at her cup before bringing it to her lips and taking a large sip of it. "Understood. I'll do as you ask," she answered back before slowly setting the tea down and picking up another stick to throw into the fire. Nobles....She felt nothing towards nobles or rebels when it came down to it. A human was a human, and a body was a corpse. [/scrolly] |
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Post by Lady Leaf on Jul 23, 2011 17:48:23 GMT -5
[scrolly:h(230),w(390),sy,as(padding:4px;margin-top:10px;margin-left:10px;)] Lance nodded as she agreed to take on his request before tipping his head and finishing off the last of his tea. With Nero on the job, that would be one and half families down. That alone would begin to stir the other noble families which would be followed by a third. He was certain a third would confirm any rumours about the first two families and panic would begin to spread like wild fire. Hopefully everything would move along smoothly. Though he was aware that unexpected events could take place to alter his plans, like the half death of the first family, but he was certain his main goals thus far would be met. “All payments will be made when the task is completed successfully. I give my word on that.” [/scrolly] [bg=black] |
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Jay
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Post by Jay on Jul 23, 2011 20:14:19 GMT -5
[atrb=style,background-image:url(http://i219.photobucket.com/albums/cc64/Heart-of-Thorns/VC/NeroText.png);][atrb=width, 497][atrb=height, 297][atrb=style,border:0 teal none,b,Table][scrolly:h(216),w(251),sy,as(padding:4px 0px 5px;margin-top:50px;margin-left:242px;color:#3c6b72;)]A calm nod of sorts was the answer back. "It's not like I can't find you anyways," she commented calmly. "........Want to see something new?" she asked after a moment not truly changing the subject at least in her own mind. [/scrolly] |
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