Taking a chance. (Jay)

[MCstorms]

[atrb=style,background-image:url(http://i682.photobucket.com/albums/vv181/SojiRem/hopesposttable.png);][atrb=width, 497][atrb=height, 297][atrb=style,border:0 teal none,b,Table][scrolly:h(228),w(251),sy,as(padding:4px 0px 5px;margin-top:58px;margin-left:15px;color:#11171c;)] Hope flying on his Salamence was anxious about today. The young man was going to visit the duke of the east Felis was it? Yeah that was the him Hope had heard he was the nicest duke ,but who knows? After a few more minutes of flying Hope saw the castle. It was big and for a moment Hope was entranced. Hope called to his Pokemon to descend , and so they did. Hope petting his friend before returning it inside it's pokeball. Hope walked up to the castle it was even bigger this close up. Then Hope face palmed himself. Of course it was big he was closer. Hope Closed his eye's and took a deep breathe. The young man then knocked on the door. What Lay ahead for the young man? [/scrolly]

[Jay]

[atrb=style,background-image:url(http://i219.photobucket.com/albums/cc64/Heart-of-Thorns/felistable1.png);color:#566965;][atrb=width,428][atrb=height,333][atrb=style,border:3 #566965 ridge,bTable][scrolly:h(250),w(210),sy,as(padding:4px;margin-top:50px;margin-left:215px;)]Felis was exhausted but at home at the moment. The last few days had been horribly chaotic. He'd been running back and forth between the capital and Forest Castle as he did his best to administer aid to those that he could. It was hard work, but he was not about to give up. He hadn't even had the energy to drag himself to bed which was a good thing for Hope at that moment. The blond had instead settled down on the couch in one of the main rooms near the front, and the knock had actually registered to him. Though there might have been a time when one of the butlers would have rushed to get the door, they were not there now. They were still dealing with their family matter and thus were not in the castle. Now it was left to Felis to lurch himself off the couch and slowly walk towards the main door. Straightening himself up as best he could, the blond stood straight upwards and slowly opened the door. "Yes?" he asked staring out at the man that was standing there. "May I help you?" [/scrolly]

[MCstorms]

[atrb=style,background-image:url(http://i682.photobucket.com/albums/vv181/SojiRem/hopesposttable.png);][atrb=width, 497][atrb=height, 297][atrb=style,border:0 teal none,b,Table][scrolly:h(228),w(251),sy,as(padding:4px 0px 5px;margin-top:58px;margin-left:15px;color:#11171c;)] Hope opened his eye's once he heard the door begin to open. Then after a few seconds he caught site of the duke. He looked him over for a few seconds he had seen pictures , but the real deal was something else. Hope then said "Yes, My name is Ho-" Hope cut himself short. The started again "My Name is Rain Ackmen. My farther was the baron of the west, well now I am. " Hope's voice grew somewhat somber. Then he looked at Felis with determination. "I probably don't have a right to , but I'm requesting your assistance." The young man struggled a bit to get his words out. Asking a complete stranger for help this wasn't him, But he knew he needed help if he was going to pull this off. [/scrolly]

[Jay]

[atrb=style,background-image:url(http://i219.photobucket.com/albums/cc64/Heart-of-Thorns/felistable1.png);color:#566965;][atrb=width,428][atrb=height,333][atrb=style,border:3 #566965 ridge,bTable][scrolly:h(250),w(210),sy,as(padding:4px;margin-top:50px;margin-left:215px;)]Felis stared at Rain for a brief moment. A Baron of the West? Felis knew most of the nobility in the East, but there was few he knew in the West. At the request for assistance, Felis breathed in quietly and sighed outwards stepping backwards and holding the door open. "I see......Won't you come in and have some tea and snacks with me?" he asked slowly standing there simply waiting. He'd address the subject, whatever it was, properly... even if he simply wanted to slam the door in Rain Ackmen's face and go back to his nap. Whether or not Hope said yes or no didn't concern Felis. The blond haired man simply turned inwards after that and started to walk down the hallway of his castle slowly. "Please close the door behind yourself. I don't have a butler at the moment," he stated as he continued walking down the hall towards the kitchen. Upon entering the kitchen, Felis rummaged through the cupboards before pulling out a few assorted snacks. Pouring them into a bowl, he then walked to the kitchen table and set them down only then to turn again and start setting up the tea. "And my cook is currently away," he explained. [/scrolly]

[MCstorms]

[atrb=style,background-image:url(http://i682.photobucket.com/albums/vv181/SojiRem/hopesposttable.png);][atrb=width, 497][atrb=height, 297][atrb=style,border:0 teal none,b,Table][scrolly:h(228),w(251),sy,as(padding:4px 0px 5px;margin-top:58px;margin-left:15px;color:#11171c;)] Hope at the request of having tea and snacks simply said "Sure." Hope walked into the castle and did as he was told. The young man closed the door behind hind him. He took a second to look around it had been awhile since he had been in a castle. After a moment Hope resumed following Felis. Hope mad to the kitchen and took a seat quietly. He heard Felis say that his cook was away. The cook and the butler? Maybe they were on vacation or something? Hope thought to himself. The young man waited patiently for Felis to join him. [/scrolly]

[Jay]

[atrb=style,background-image:url(http://i219.photobucket.com/albums/cc64/Heart-of-Thorns/felistable1.png);color:#566965;][atrb=width,428][atrb=height,333][atrb=style,border:3 #566965 ridge,bTable][scrolly:h(250),w(210),sy,as(padding:4px;margin-top:50px;margin-left:215px;)]Upon fixing up the tea so that it could heat up, Felis turned and moved back to the table before slowly setting himself down with a quiet 'umph' sound following. "I'm sorry... I should be more hospitable, but you caught be right during my nap," he mused half laughing before shaking his head and falling serious again. "But... pray tell what you need... I assume it has something to do with the recent bombings in the capital?" he asked doing his best to keep up somewhat of a liveliness about him despite his exhaustion. [/scrolly]

[MCstorms]

[atrb=style,background-image:url(http://i682.photobucket.com/albums/vv181/SojiRem/hopesposttable.png);][atrb=width, 497][atrb=height, 297][atrb=style,border:0 teal none,b,Table][scrolly:h(228),w(251),sy,as(padding:4px 0px 5px;margin-top:58px;margin-left:15px;color:#11171c;)] Hope simply said sorry at the nap statement. Then became serious again when Felis asked about the bombing's. "Actually Yes it is. These bombings have left Era scarred, and now Era is in a panic. Our Country has been this way for to long." Hope was serious from his facile expression down to his body langue. "I have a lot of idea's that could help end this dispute, however I am not in a position to make any call's. That's why I'm going to become the new Duke of the west." Hope stated boldly. Pausing to take a breathe he looked at Felis to see and gauge his response. [/scrolly]

[Jay]

[atrb=style,background-image:url(http://i219.photobucket.com/albums/cc64/Heart-of-Thorns/felistable1.png);color:#566965;][atrb=width,428][atrb=height,333][atrb=style,border:3 #566965 ridge,bTable][scrolly:h(250),w(210),sy,as(padding:4px;margin-top:50px;margin-left:215px;)]Felis listened to Hope's words, and as the man spoke, he stared. He wished to become Duke of the West? He was a Baron at the moment. Such a jump in expectations was not the best thing to try and fulfill, yet who was Felis to talk? The man had learned on the job how to become a Duke even if his family had been in the position of such nobility since before he could remember. Felis's face drew more serious now. "Explain what you intend to do. You do realize taking such a high role is not easy," he said in a calm but serious manner that had now worked its way into his complete stature and mannerism. [/scrolly]

[MCstorms]

[atrb=style,background-image:url(http://i682.photobucket.com/albums/vv181/SojiRem/hopesposttable.png);][atrb=width, 497][atrb=height, 297][atrb=style,border:0 teal none,b,Table][scrolly:h(228),w(251),sy,as(padding:4px 0px 5px;margin-top:58px;margin-left:15px;color:#11171c;)] Hope nodded in agreement with the blond haired man. "I know it sounds crazy, but I can't let Era continue to spiral downwards like this." Hope was breaking down a bit as his emotions were getting the best of him. "I intend to find who did this and make them pay. I will also aid the efforts to help the people and fix the capital. " Hope paused to take a breathe then in a clam voice said. "Marcella has been gone to long the west needs a leader." Hope felt knots in his stomach he felt as though he would throw up. The young man only knew about half of what he was talking about, but he knew he needed to do this so he was going to do it. [/scrolly]

[Jay]

[atrb=style,background-image:url(http://i219.photobucket.com/albums/cc64/Heart-of-Thorns/felistable1.png);color:#566965;][atrb=width,428][atrb=height,333][atrb=style,border:3 #566965 ridge,bTable][scrolly:h(250),w(210),sy,as(padding:4px;margin-top:50px;margin-left:215px;)]Felis remained quiet as he listened to Hope's words. The man had good intentions, at least. However... "And what of the actual west?" he asked. He wasn't going to leave it at a bit of information. He wanted .. to see if Hope was ready, among other things. The last thing he wanted to do was bless a person with his approval and then watch them fail to circumstance. "You're of a Baron family... Barons tend to only rule over a small section of land... a Duke must act for all..." He wasn't criticizing Hope in the least. No, he was reflecting on his own experience that he didn't want to see repeated. "Please... tell me everything that you have done for the area that you have looked over... and what you wish to do for all of the west..." he asked in a sincere voice. [/scrolly]

[MCstorms]

[atrb=style,background-image:url(http://i682.photobucket.com/albums/vv181/SojiRem/hopesposttable.png);][atrb=width, 497][atrb=height, 297][atrb=style,border:0 teal none,b,Table][scrolly:h(228),w(251),sy,as(padding:4px 0px 5px;margin-top:58px;margin-left:15px;color:#11171c;)] Hope nodded and sighed at the mans statement's. "I know the Duke's role is important they have to reign over there entire region. I have not done anything significant for the area I reign over now, but I tend to change that. " Hope stopped and took a breathe. It seemed as though this man wasn't a push over and at the same time not an ass like he had heard from some. Though those were probably Rebel radical's. "If I were to reign over the west I would make sure the people there were protected. Believe me when I say one to many people have died over there." Looking at Felis with determination in his eye's and his heart beating rapidly. Hope spoke saying "I know I have little idea of what being the duke fully entail's, but I will learn and I will achieve it. My goal for the west is to bring the justice that has been lost back into society." [/scrolly]

[Jay]

[atrb=style,background-image:url(http://i219.photobucket.com/albums/cc64/Heart-of-Thorns/felistable1.png);color:#566965;][atrb=width,428][atrb=height,333][atrb=style,border:3 #566965 ridge,bTable][scrolly:h(250),w(210),sy,as(padding:4px;margin-top:50px;margin-left:215px;)]A quiet smile came to the edges of Felis's mouth as he listened to Rain. Well it seemed that he at least had an ambition to help others. That was more than Felis truly had when he had started in his mess..."I see," he answered quietly taking a chip and biting into it as he thought this over. "Tell me of your family," he hummed as the thought occurred to him. He didn't remember the Ackmans, but then again, they were of the West. It may have sounded like he was getting off track, but Felis... wanted to learn more... He wanted to see more of this man before him before he made any direct decisions. Somehow, Feliciano had grown up in these short two years more than he had through his entire teenhood. [/scrolly]

[MCstorms]

[atrb=style,background-image:url(http://i682.photobucket.com/albums/vv181/SojiRem/hopesposttable.png);][atrb=width, 497][atrb=height, 297][atrb=style,border:0 teal none,b,Table][scrolly:h(228),w(251),sy,as(padding:4px 0px 5px;margin-top:58px;margin-left:15px;color:#11171c;)] Felis wanted to know about Hopes family? It seemed like an odd request , but Hope would tell him what there was to tell. Hope smiled before he spoke "Well my only real family is my sister Aurora she is 14, but a little younger personality wise." Hope then grew somber as he though of his parents. "My mom and dad were killed this summer, and right in front of my and Aurora's eye's. " Hope then looked at Felis it was an odd thought , but until now he had never actually said his parents were dead. Maybe now he is coming to terms with it. [/scrolly]

[Jay]

[atrb=style,background-image:url(http://i219.photobucket.com/albums/cc64/Heart-of-Thorns/felistable1.png);color:#566965;][atrb=width,428][atrb=height,333][atrb=style,border:3 #566965 ridge,bTable][scrolly:h(250),w(210),sy,as(padding:4px;margin-top:50px;margin-left:215px;)]Felis's pupils quivered slightly, and he closed his eyes rather quickly fighting down what memory Hope had brought up. Not only did he now remember the report of a noble hunter having killed the Ackman family, he remembered his won family in turn. Sighing slightly, Felis kept his eyes closed. "I see," he answered back before forcing his eyes to open and look at Hope again. "And you've been taking care of her and doing your best with your current area, I assume?" he asked as a small smile crept onto his face. It was odd how much that reminded him of his predicament with Rosa at the very beginning... "Did you know I have a little sister?" he asked after a moment as a smile came to his face. "Her name is Rosa....she's only ten at the moment, but she'll be eleven in a few months..." he sighed slightly. "I'm sorry... you probably didn't need or want to know on such things...but... I just make comparisons..." he managed to smile. [/scrolly]

[MCstorms]

[atrb=style,background-image:url(http://i682.photobucket.com/albums/vv181/SojiRem/hopesposttable.png);][atrb=width, 497][atrb=height, 297][atrb=style,border:0 teal none,b,Table][scrolly:h(228),w(251),sy,as(padding:4px 0px 5px;margin-top:58px;margin-left:15px;color:#11171c;)] Hope nodded at Felis when he asked if he took care of his sister. "I do what I can." He smiled happily. Then he listened to Felis talk about his family. Hope then corrected Felis saying "Actually its nice to know I'm not alone." Hope liked Felis he felt he was a good duke to talk to. Who knows they may even be friends later on. Hope would like that and then maybe Rosa could have a play date with Aurora. That would be nice Aurora didn't get much time to be a kid anymore. [/scrolly]

[Jay]

[atrb=style,background-image:url(http://i219.photobucket.com/albums/cc64/Heart-of-Thorns/felistable1.png);color:#566965;][atrb=width,428][atrb=height,333][atrb=style,border:3 #566965 ridge,bTable][scrolly:h(250),w(210),sy,as(padding:4px;margin-top:50px;margin-left:215px;)]Felis blinked a little before smiling softly. "I see," he answered back nodding his head slowly before raising a finger and reaching across the table to poke Hope in the forehead. "I don't think it's fair for anyone to be alone," he smiled lightly. "So don't think you are, ever, mkay?" he asked before laughing a little lightly. This actually ached him a bit. His body was so exhausted that making such movements wasn't the most pleasant thing, yet somehow his mind was lightening a tad. "Oh... how old are you by the way? Sorry to say, I don't know most of the nobles outside of my domain, as you can see," he hummed and sweat dropped a little. [/scrolly]

[MCstorms]

[atrb=style,background-image:url(http://i682.photobucket.com/albums/vv181/SojiRem/hopesposttable.png);][atrb=width, 497][atrb=height, 297][atrb=style,border:0 teal none,b,Table][scrolly:h(228),w(251),sy,as(padding:4px 0px 5px;margin-top:58px;margin-left:15px;color:#11171c;)] Hope smiled again Felis had away of reassuring him. "That's understandable Felis I only really know the three duke's and a few count's. Anyway I'm 18, but I will be 19 in a few months. I know I'm a little young ,but if I remember correctly the Duke of the north is around my age. " Hope took a breath knowing his age meant he had a lack of experience. Hope knew that and was prepared to overcome that obstacle. Though this task is easier said then done.

[/color]
[/scrolly][/td][/tr][/table][/center]

[Jay]

[atrb=style,background-image:url(http://i219.photobucket.com/albums/cc64/Heart-of-Thorns/felistable1.png);color:#566965;][atrb=width,428][atrb=height,333][atrb=style,border:3 #566965 ridge,bTable][scrolly:h(250),w(210),sy,as(padding:4px;margin-top:50px;margin-left:215px;)]Felis bit back a pained expression for a brief moment as Hope talked of the Duke... That was... Nikolai now. Akira... was....Sucking in some air and releasing it, Felis looked at Hope and nodded his had. "True..." he sighed a moment closing his eyes. "You make me feel old..." he commented before laughing ever so slightly. "I assume you finished whatever schooling your parents had set up... when they were alive?" he asked looking at Hope with a calm demeanor. [/scrolly]

[MCstorms]

[atrb=style,background-image:url(http://i682.photobucket.com/albums/vv181/SojiRem/hopesposttable.png);][atrb=width, 497][atrb=height, 297][atrb=style,border:0 teal none,b,Table][scrolly:h(228),w(251),sy,as(padding:4px 0px 5px;margin-top:58px;margin-left:15px;color:#11171c;)] At the question of school hopes smile became nervous coupled with a nervous laugh. "um.....well." He said looking away from Felis. " I did not I left when I was 16 half way through junior year." Hope said in an almost regretful tone. Hope really does wish he finished school, but he would make the same choice again if he history were to repeat itself. Hope looked back to Felis to see hat he thought. He doubted it would be good though. [/scrolly]

[Jay]

[atrb=style,background-image:url(http://i219.photobucket.com/albums/cc64/Heart-of-Thorns/felistable1.png);color:#566965;][atrb=width,428][atrb=height,333][atrb=style,border:3 #566965 ridge,bTable][scrolly:h(250),w(210),sy,as(padding:4px;margin-top:50px;margin-left:215px;)]Felis's face fell slightly as he listened to the words. Something had caused him to-....Oh. He had said he was eighteen, and two years ago...the Kingdom had officially fallen... He could understand somewhat from this perspective of things. Closing blue eyes, Felis did his best to think over what he wanted to say next. He didn't want to be truly scrutinizing, yet at the same time, Hope needed to finish school.... "You should hire yourself some private tutors to at least finish school..." he said opening his eyes again and looking at Hope with a rather stern look. "And then learn as much as you can even after that... it's never enough even when you think it is..." he broke off a moment and sighed. "But I understand... situations two years ago were... not good...and even now...." Felis sighed shaking his head slightly. After a moment, his thoughts changed to something else. "How do you plan to deal with the castle situation?" he asked meaning Marcella's previous home. [/scrolly]