highfiving

02 June 2015 @ 12:42 am

[ the trip to the hot springs was something leia had been looking forward to ever since her birthday, and with the recent developments between herself and alvin, her excitement was multiplied tenfold. not only was she going to go to a hot springs— which was exciting on its own, since she's never been to an authentic one before— but she was going with her boyfriend. they always spent a decent amount of time together, and that hadn't changed since they got together, but this was going to be their first trip as a couple. something more substantial than ordering takeout together or stopping by a favored cafe.

just like she promised, she sped through the rest of her article, and her editor even seemed pleased when he read it over. he wasn't necessarily happy (when was he ever?) but he didn't rip it to shreds, so that was definitely an improvement.

(the fact that alvin kept dangling the trip in front of her probably motivated her to put as much effort as possible into the article, but who wouldn't give it their all in a situation like this?)

after that, all that was left was to wait for the day they had reservations for to roll around.

playing the waiting game meant that, in the days before the trip, word got out about what was happening. leia wasn't quiet about their relationship, whether she was talking to one of their friends or one of her coworkers (even if she was keeping the fact that they were going on a "romantic getaway" from her mother, just in case), but when the other girls in the office found out why she wasn't going to be around for a few days... well, it was a mess. they wanted details (where was the hot spring? was it some sort of cheesy one-month anniversary gift? would they go all the way while they were there?), and they wanted to tell her things, too. what to expect, how to give all the right signals— the works.

once they actually got to the resort, though, leia slowly started to feel like some of their advice (and her embarrassment, because she felt plenty of that when they were grilling her for details) might end up being for nothing. it wasn't that she doubted that alvin liked her— she felt confident about that much, at least— but rather that she couldn't help but wonder if he wasn't attracted to her. sure, he had made plenty of passes at her when she spent the night at his apartment, and he had been a very willing participant in a few makeout sessions that she cut a little shorter than he probably would've liked, but at the hot springs things felt off. it was never over anything big enough for her to actually question him, but it was something that lingered in the back of her mind nonetheless.

case in point: she was in the bath, alone. he had suggested she try it out and while she hadn't pushed for him to go in with her too hard, the fact that he hadn't jumped at the opportunity definitely seemed strange to her. they had already cleared the air when it came to him having to hold back and how far she was willing to go, so that couldn't be the culprit, as far as she was concerned. maybe it was just all in her head?

either way, it wasn't something she wanted to linger on too much. this trip was something for them to enjoy together, and she was going to do everything she could do make sure that they had a good time. and if she couldn't keep herself from worrying? well, she would just cross that bridge when she came to it, or try to knock some sense into herself if she started overthinking things.

with a quiet huff, she leans against the edge of the bath, resting her arms against it as she does. staying in the water much longer would probably make her dizzy (in fact, that would be a good way of explaining away all of the places her mind is going), but she didn't want to return to an empty room, either. if she had her GHS, this would be a good time to use it— to shoot alvin a text and ask if he was back yet, or maybe just to talk and pass some time. it was with her clothes, though, so... a few more minutes of soaking would have to be enough. then she would gather up her things and head back. ]

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reported

07 April 2015 @ 02:30 am

[ the double date she and alvin went on wasn't bad, but it wasn't a real success, either. leia's date was friends with the girl she set alvin up with, and even though he wasn't a bad guy— he was much, much nicer than her last real date had been, actually— there wasn't any spark between them. she hadn't thought anything of it at the time, but she spent more of the date paying attention to alvin than she had her date, and at the end of it, they politely parted ways and they hadn't met up since. maybe it was her fault, since her heart wasn't in it, but she didn't want to force anything; that wouldn't be a good way to start a relationship. the girl she set up with alvin didn't seem to stick with him, either, though. she was vague about her answers when leia asked her directly if anything had been wrong, but she did mention something about him having eyes for someone else... and, hearing that, leia assumed that meant he might have still been hung up on presa. or maybe there was someone else that she didn't know about? she tried not to dwell on that too much, either way— if there was someone else he had his eye on, regardless of who it was, then that was just one more reason for her to try her hardest not to linger on her feelings for him.

so, that's what she was doing. she wasn't avoiding him by any means (if anything, she was probably spending just as much time around him as usual), but she was trying her best to act normal. there were times where she'd catch herself watching him closely in a way that she didn't used to, or times where his teasing would make her feel more embarrassed than usual, and sometimes it was even without the annoyance that used to come along with being flustered by him, but she was doing a good job, as far as she was concerned.

that was the approach she was taking with stopping by his place for a writing session, too. they were getting closer to the three month mark with every day that passed, and she hadn't missed any of her deadlines. she was a little behind schedule for her current piece, though, so she ended up calling him to ask if he would make good on his offer to help keep her on track. there was nothing weird about that, right? friends helped motivate friends all the time.

in the end, they agreed that his place would be the best place for them to do it, so there she was, in front of his door with a bag with all of her notes and all of the supplies she would need slung over her shoulder. she had sent him a text when she was leaving her apartment so he would know to expect her, but... after the last time that she let herself in, she isn't about to take any risks. she knocks, loudly, and then calls out: ]

It's me! I'm ready to get down to business!

[ and... it's probably a good thing that the hall is empty, because she says that a little louder than necessary. oops. ]

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opportunitycosts

28 March 2015 @ 03:04 am

[It is now time to visit a certain scene set not long after their not!date, but before Leia's confession on the New Year.

The "birthday date" had been successful, but it had also been... Well, it only occurred to Alvin sometime later that that had actually been his first "date" since Presa. Even though it hadn't been a real date, he had never actually gone out with a woman for the past few years. Instead, all he ever had were late night hookups at bars. This realization coupled by the fact of those strange thoughts and "feelings" that stirred subconsciously deep within him would only further set the course of what would happen a few months later.

Feelings that would get yet another jump today.

Although things had been a little awkward between them after those certain little incidents, the two had been otherwise normal and it wasn't long before they just put it all behind him. Or at least, that's what Alvin believed. He certainly wasn't aware of the feelings stirring between them, be it his own or Leia's. They continued to hang out and returned to their groove.

And so, having Leia call him earlier that morning to tell him that she wanted to return the movie she borrowed seemed perfectly normal. He told her to just stop by when she got off from work. Without realizing it, he was even thinking if they should go out for dinner or if she'd want to watch something. Things that were normal for them, but also a bit questionable due to their current circumstances.

However, that day had been particularly long for him. Be had already stayed up late finishing up some accounting and other business, but then there was the traveling. To and from Duval and Drellin, having to go back because he forgot something, getting called for a quick check in another—he's able to make it back to his apartment on time, but he winds up just crashing on his couch. His intention had been to just rest his eyes and then get back up to make some coffee or something, but he ends up dozing off instead.

He had left the door unlocked so Leia could come in freely, so she should have no trouble getting in. But he's definitely sound asleep when she does enter, one arm resting just over his forehead while the other crossed over his chest. He had taken off his jacket, loosened his scarf, and the top two buttons of his shirt to help cool himself off a bit more. The fact that he doesn't even stir when she does enter is testament to how tired he really is—he's a light sleeper and the click of his door would have been enough to wake him.]

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reported

06 March 2015 @ 05:09 pm

[ it's a few days after their trip to the hot springs, and leia has come down with a cold— it's nothing serious, just sniffling and sneezing, the occasional headache, and a slightly-higher-than-normal temperature— but considering all of the good things that the trip brought, it's a small price to pay. resolving the problems she had with alvin and taking the first (admittedly really big) step toward having a relationship together was probably worth a few days of feeling less than stellar.

especially since she can bug him without feeling too terribly guilty, since she's not just his friend anymore. that's still a really novel idea, given that this is her first real relationship, and she... may or may not have been taking advantage of that by talking to him a little more than usual. it's nothing too ridiculous— since she's sick and she can't drop by his place and bother him in-person, she's just been sending more texts and calls than usual his way— but still. considering how bad things had been between them before the trip, being able to talk to him freely feels pretty nice.

it's also something she does when she's starting to feel a little stir crazy from being cooped up inside. it's only day two of her cold, but calling into work sick and not having anything to do gets old fast for someone like her; she's quick to get restless. she's already jotted down some ideas for her next big article and talked to all of their friends about her new relationship (elize and elle wanted details, specifically). she's watched all of the shows she's behind on, done some light cleaning— which was probably a mistake, since it leaves her feeling worse than before— and now she's lounging around in bed, wrapped up in blankets and surrounded by a small army of pillows and stuffed animals.

so, naturally, she texts alvin. she'd call him, but it's closer to the middle of the day than the evening, and she's not sure if he's busy with work, so... it's probably better to play it safe. ]

hey!!! ☆ﾐ(o*･ω･)ﾉ im still sick and i could use a little company |･ω･｀) its getting pretty lonely around here! (シ_ _)シ feel like dropping by?? ♡(*´∀｀*)人(*´∀｀*)♡

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opportunitycosts

31 January 2015 @ 05:26 pm

[The next few weeks were... Well "less than stellar" would be a severe understatement. It was no surprise when pretty much everyone in their circle learned about the giant mess of a fallout that occurred between the two. Understandably, Leia had the sympathy and Alvin the flack. Even Jude confronted him and punched him when he couldn't explain himself. What confused everyone was that it was clear the two did have mutual feelings, but the one who was supposed to be an adult wasn't acting them. Rowen tried to reason with him, to give him that elderly mature advice and remind him that this was not the path he had chosen and was one they all thought he had left.

Time and time again, Balan, Rowen, Jude, and even Yurgen asked him the important question: Why not? And all Alvin could say was that it just can't. Eventually they stopped asking since it was clear that Alvin had made up his mind. They didn't agree to it, but there wasn't much they could do. Elize again did not want have anything to do with him, both hurt and disappointed by his actions.

Only Elle contacted him again, and with her usual forthright attitude, remark how stupid he was being. Perhaps it was because Elle didn't have as many deep roots with them that she was able to not be as adversely affected by Alvin's action. She had never seen him before, so it just seems weird to her. And it was to Elle he eventually caved and told about he didn't think he would be a good match for Leia—that she deserved more. When he started to say he wanted her to be happy, Elle was quick to point out that what he was doing now wasn't really helping that. It was a fair point, and one he knew himself, but he just remained silent. He was using the logic that it might be painful in the short run, but it would be better in the long.

While Alvin was on his GHS, Elle had wandered into his office and was just being a nosy pre-teen, looking through his desk. It was there that she stumbled across the long forgotten tickets, and when she pulled them out, Alvin had caught her and was about to give her a playful smack on the head as punishment. But when he saw the tickets, he froze. He remembered the circumstances as to how he acquired them...and more about that particular day. When he saw Elle notice a particularly worn and old looking letter, he quickly shut the drawer, telling her to quit being nosy. But when she asked about the tickets, he told her the truth—they were for him and Leia. The deal was if she didn't miss her deadlines, he'd take her up there. Of course...that plan was shot now, so if Elle wanted to, she could go with Leia in his place.

Of course the girl would have none of it. She quickly pulled out her GHS and called Leia, asking where she was. After that, she grabbed Alvin's hand and forcefully dragged him out, even kicking at his shin when he tried to protest (and damn did that hurt). Not long after, they were at Helioborg, and again Alvin hesitated. He knew what the girl was trying to do, and somehow his feet actually allowed his body to be dragged to it. He had avoided Leia as much as possible, keeping only minimal contact and giving her short replies to any texts or calls she gave him. So seeing her there talking with Jude and Balan made his blood run cold.

It was awkward—he could see Jude giving him the cold look and even stepping closer to Leia, as if to help protect her for whatever pain he might dish out next. Balan on the other hand was a bit intrigued (of course he would). And then Elle was shoving and pushing him toward the group. The topic of the hot springs began, and even though he tried to just give the tickets to Leia for her to do what she wanted, she refused to take them. But he was refusing to go with her because it would be a bad idea. In the end, Balan settled it by taking the tickets and actually calling the hot springs.

"You're lucky, Alfred," Balan said after he hung up. "Those almost expired and that would have been a waste. But you're both good to go now! One honeymoon suite for just the two of you. It was the only one left, so you only have yourself to blame," he added when everyone gave him incredulous looks. "Anyway, it's about time we got back to work. Let's go, Jude."

Alvin could feel the intense look his old friend was giving him. Jude would later call him not to yell, but in a tired and somewhat pleading voice told him, "Just don't hurt her anymore, okay, Alvin? I know you're better than that, so...just try talking it over?"

The days leading up to that overnight trip were heavy for him. Several times he thought about just canceling, but the pressure everyone was giving was more than even he could take. And really, he did owe Leia at least something. He had asked for time to think. Hadn't he thought enough? The very least he could do was at least finally tell her what his thoughts were about this. To apologize. But all the endings that came to his mind after that...they didn't exactly leave him feeling all that good.

And now, they are at the hot springs. He tried to keep a normal facade, smiling and being as casual as possible with her. But he still maintained that distance, both physically and emotionally. Of course they were mistaken as an actual couple, particularly when they were rung up and led to their room. Of course that would just...bring a lot of awkwardness to stay, so he suggests they walk around, check the place out. As is the protocol, they had to change into the yukata-like robes provided and seeing Leia...well he tries very hard not to think too much about it, for once not commenting on how she looks.

The resort is rather large. Not as large as the water park, and it has a very old, traditional Kanbalar flair. But because of the season, there are plenty of people, both from Rieze Maxia and Elympios. There are families, singles, couples. It definitely had a relaxing atmosphere.

Now if only he could actually feel that way.

As they walk, he finally glances over to her.]

So...what do you think? I have to admit it's pretty nice.

[Small talk. Small talk is good, right?]

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opportunitycosts

27 January 2015 @ 02:41 am

[It had been a couple of weeks since the New Year, and it...well it wasn't exactly the best of starts. After Leia's confession, the two had been a little distant. They still talked and met every now and then, but it wasn't as often. A lot of it as on Alvin, and not just because of increased work with the business.

That night over several glasses of various strong alcoholic beverages, he had told Balan what had happened and for once his cousin didn't mock him or throw sass at him. Instead he just asked Alvin why he rejected her and why he thought they couldn't date. Age aside, from what he had seen, Balan thought they could work out. Balan only knew vague details about their past (well, he knew Alvin had shot her, so perhaps it wasn't so vague), but they were friends now so did it really matter?

And really, Alfred, you don't seriously think you don't feel anything for the girl, do you? I'm no expert, but it's obvious to everyone except you.

In the end, all Alvin could say and be hung over about was the fact that he wasn't the right guy and that whatever feelings he did have shouldn't be allowed. That it's better this way.

Elle and Elize—man did he get an earful from the both of them. Elize yelled at him so much and now she refuses to talk to him. Elle just thinks he's an idiot and doesn't understand why grown-ups have to be so complicated.

If you get along so great, what's the big deal?

All of these questions only make him wonder if he really is doing the right thing. It also makes him realize that...he really might have had deeper feelings for the girl. That those impulses he had weren't just strange, one-off things. If that's true, then why is it so hard for him to accept those feelings and act on them? He already knows how she feels. Or...is he doubting that? Is he afraid that something might happen to change that? That even if she likes him now, she might leave because he can't get his act together?

Whenever those kinds of doubts and thoughts crawl into his mind, he immediately tries to banish them. Leia wouldn't be like that. He knows her better than that. Yet that kind of fear...and knowing how he's not really ready for that kind of relationship either...

In the end, it was just a complicated mess. A mess he himself is creating.

But he does want to keep their friendship and he does realize that he misses her company. So although he recognizes he's being a hypocrite here, he finally sends her that text asking her if she wants to watch the movie. He's glad and relieved when she accepts, even when he offers his place since he has the better system. It wouldn't be the first time, but it would in a while. And the first after her confession. Things...could get awkward, but he would try to act as normal as possible.

So it's now the day they would watch the movie and he's waiting for her at his apartment. And for some reason he actually feels a little nervous about this.]

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reported

25 January 2015 @ 02:43 am

[ after their "date", leia really does take the time to think about everything that happened, from the tension, to the kiss, to the dream that she can only vaguely remember. she even talks to elize about it, since... well, the rest of their group is compromised of people who are probably too busy to play advisor for her (like rowen and gaius), or people it would be way too awkward to talk to about this with (like jude and alvin himself). she's even a little quieter than normal when it comes to contacting alvin, and she definitely doesn't try to drag him out as much— especially not when she finally admits to herself why she's been so weird around him lately.

she likes him. not as a friend, or even as a best friend, but as something more. she's been through this whole song and dance before, which makes it worse, in a way. trust her to fall for her best friend again, right? and that's not even touching on the issues they've had in the past, or the fact that he's... a lot older than her, or any of the other reasons that tell her that this is probably something that she should keep to herself for the moment.

quiet as she may be toward him, though, that doesn't stop her from calling him up and asking if he'd like to spend new years together, and when she gets an affirmative answer, she can't help but feel a small thrill even if she knows she probably shouldn't. unlike her birthday, this isn't being framed as a date. as far as anyone but her is concerned, this is just two friends casually spending a holiday together, but just knowing that they'll get to do something like that really does make her happy.

that doesn't stop her from putting a little extra effort into her appearance, either— when the big day rolls around, even if she doesn't get very dressed up, she does spend time in front of the mirror fussing over her appearance for one of the first times in her life. while she would normally toss her hair up into a quick bun and call it a day, she actually opts to wear it down for once, combed out carefully so that it falls around her shoulders. she picks out her cutest sweater and shorts combo, too, because even if the weather reports say it's going to be chilly and potentially a little rainy, a small part of her wants to impress him. for him to think that maybe she's actually pretty cute.

she even gets to their decided meeting spot a little early (surprisingly, probably), an umbrella in hand, just in case the reports were right and it starts to drizzle at some point— it's already a little cloudy, so it's a very real possibility. she's pretty antsy about this meeting, too, if the way she keeps checking her GHS is anything to go by. she's only been waiting for him for a few minutes and there's still plenty of time to walk to the area they talked about watching the fireworks from since it's not too far away, but still. she kind of can't help herself at this point. ]

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reported

31 December 2014 @ 02:20 am

[ so. at a probably-unacceptable hour, alvin's GHS is going to receive two texts in quick succession: ]

alvin!!! （・◇・）/
hey Σ（ﾟдﾟlll）are you still up?!?

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reported

17 December 2014 @ 03:06 pm

[ even if elympios isn't typically as flourishing or festive as rieze maxia, leaning more toward a sleek, modern society, they still have their fair share of things to celebrate. namely, with the (very, very) slight amount of nature that had taken root after the schism was dispelled, they have more reason than ever before to celebrate the changing seasons. at some point, a well-known elympion decided that they would throw a party— a masquerade, to be specific— to kick off the start of a new season. apparently, they thought it would be a fun, festive way to celebrate the typical elympion traditions, and made sure to invite plenty of big names.

of course, it's only thanks to a lead from her editor that leia has the chance to be there. he gave her the opportunity after she pitched the idea for an article about elympios' high society, along with a stern warning that she shouldn't let herself get too caught up in the party's atmosphere. she took his advice to heart, of course, but that didn't mean that she couldn't have a little fun to go along with her work, either. she had tried to drag alvin along, which didn't work out in the end— something about having "other business" to attend to. when that didn't pan out, she managed to rope elize into helping her shop for an outfit to wear, since she was definitely more experienced when it came to dressing up, to say the least. it wasn't like she could show up to a masquerade in her work clothes, anyway. it would kind of spoil the fun.

in the end, they had picked out a dress that was... more frilly than she would typically wear (on top of the fact that it was a dress to begin with), but still short and modern enough to fit the style leia had developed since she moved to elympios. since she was able to pick out her mask for herself, it was a little more suited to her tastes: the base of it was a light, cream color that matched her dress, but there was a detailed, yellow floral pattern drawn onto it, along with a few flashy accents in the form of colorful stones along the edges. her wallet would be hurting after buying so much in such a short amount of time, but it would be worth it, she figured, if it meant getting some good info to put into her article. elize also stuck around long enough to help her decide on a hairstyle (a simple updo, held in place by the hairpin alvin had given her during their trip to xian du, which had been her own suggestion) and give her some tips on how to wear simple makeup without it looking too heavily caked on.

and their work pays off. when she actually gets to the party, she finds that she actually blends in pretty well. she feels a little weird, being so dressed up, but there's also something exciting about it. she can't recognize any of the people around her (the masks combined with how little she actually knows about elympion high society make it too hard to tell who is who), but she's almost positive that her own "disguise" is just as effective, so the excitement probably comes from that slight element of mystery.

since she doesn't have anyone with her, she can't make a place for herself on the dance floor, so she settles for standing on the sidelines near the refreshments, watching the party and mentally taking notes— normally, this would be where she'd whip out her notepad, but she left it at home for once, since she didn't have anywhere to put it. ]

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opportunitycosts

02 December 2014 @ 07:47 pm

[if there was one thing Elympions were really adept at, it was creating highly technological constructions and living the "high life" so to speak. after the schism dropped, this only increased due to the access to additional, if currently expensive, resources. and with Rieze Maxia also being rich with resources and willing to increase the economy, coordinating to create a fun place where both citizens could enjoy was easier than expected. had a few bumps along the way, of course, including whether the location would adversely affect the neighboring towns, but after several months of planning and clearing out the monsters, a large portion of the Kijara Seafalls had been converted to something like a water park resort. using the natural formations already existing, including the many waterfalls, the company in charge of this endeavor managed to recreate the setting to include natural made water slides and of course the many variety of natural and artificial pools—casual ones to just sit and relax, larger ones to just swim around, wave pools, and even a section for some heated ones.

technology wise, it's a combination of spirit artes, spyrix, and spyrites. the use of spyrix had been as minimal as possible, but their world isn't quite there with replacing it with spyrite. however, it has been designed so that the conversion would be seamless, and it helps that the park is indeed mostly naturally made.

so during the following summer of their last adventure, Alvin had received two tickets to its opening. a gift for being a Svent. although he isn't really "part of the family" anymore, he can't exactly say he didn't like the few perks that come his way. free gifts definitely were one of them. now the problem is...would he actually go? If so, who would he ask? or should he just give them both away? but even with those questions, he was already thinking, "Leia would probably kill to have these." and well, that made his decision for him.

and so invite her he did and here they are at the Kijara Seafalls Resort. the opening ceremony had been a "splashing" hit and the place is packed with a variety of people from esteemed invited guests to those who managed to purchase tickets to every day families who won the lottery prize. and a lot of kids. a lot of kids.

and like everyone else, he's dressed in casual swimming shorts, sandals, sunglasses, and a loose unbuttoned shirt.]

Well the lines are going to be insane, I can tell you that much. So what should we try out first?

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reported

23 November 2014 @ 12:05 am

[ after entering their room, leia's first order of business had been to take a bath. the food and medicine would probably be ready by the time she was done and, after such a long day, a nice, long soak sounded pretty appealing. so, she had gathered up her pajamas (because screw rpg logic that says they wear their default outfits to bed) and headed for the bathroom— but not without calling a warning to not peek over her shoulder as she went.

her bath wasn't too long, all things considered, but she had been right about their order being ready by the time she was done. it wasn't until she started eating that she realized how hungry she actually was, though, and she was pretty quiet while they ate as a result. there might've been a little bit of joking back and forth, of course, but her focus had been on the food in front of her. she even managed to take the medicine without too much complaint (though she had definitely made it known that she wasn't a fan of how it tasted).

and by the time all of that is over and they're both done with anything else that might need to be tended to, she's actually feeling a little bit better. her fever is still there and she's still feeling weaker than usual, but she's also more comfortable and ready to settle in for some well-deserved relaxation. the room's cozy atmosphere definitely lends itself to that, especially now that the noise from the festival has completely faded away for the night, anyway.

if she was roomed with milla and elize like old times, this would probably be when she would try to spark up some girl talk, and while alvin probably isn't suited for that, that doesn't mean that they can't talk at all. so, she scoots to the edge of the bed, letting her legs dangle over it, and pats the spot beside her. ]

Wanna come sit?

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reported

07 November 2014 @ 01:52 am

[ with her latest idea for an article revolving around the different ways that people from Rieze Maxia lived, it was only right that Leia would need to do some legwork before she could start writing. even if she had been born and raised there, she didn't know all of the ins and outs of every city, and besides— research was an important part of journalism.

of course, even the best reporters needed ~~sidekicks~~ help once in a while so, naturally, she had decided to drag Alvin along on her little adventure. he wasn't bad company these days, and she figured he would be especially useful when it came to their first stop: Xian Du.

... which brings her to where she is now, knocking on the door to his room in Kanbalar's inn. ]

Hey! Are you ready? We should probably head out soon, you know.

[ she might sound a little impatient, but there's no real bite behind her words; even if they're out here on business (sort of), she's not that uptight. ]

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selfmotivations

28 October 2014 @ 02:55 am

AU: Chapter 1 - First Meetings

[it seems to be a normal day at the Leronde Seahaven. kids running around, laughing and playing, their cries melding into the bustling din of merchants calling out from their various shops and stalls. there are also a large number of travelers coming to and fro. well into the warmer season of Efreeta, those from Elympios and the northern region of Rieze Maxia are starting to trickle for a relaxing vacation in the otherwise peaceful port town.

a quiet normal day.

until there's a sudden shout and clatter of various goods, causing a cluster of people to spread before milling about uneasily. a small group of about five men—Elympion judging from their clothing—stand around a younger man sitting on the ground. one of the Elympion travelers had quite a mess on his shirt, and from the spilled liquid and broken glass, it isn't too difficult to piece together.

this is what Alvin observes as he slowly walks past behind the growing crowd, the accusations and apologies hushing the once more lively atmosphere.

Poor kid, he idly thinks as he glances at the scene. and of course no one is stepping up to help although many whisper if they should call for the local authorities. Be it Rieze Maxia or Elympios, people still act the same. Well, it's not really business and it should blow itself over soon enough. fully acknowledging that he just made himself into one of those "useless bystanders," he continued on. maybe on another day or if there had been any obvious benefit, he might have helped, but not today. he had his own problems to deal with.

however, another glance makes him stop for two reasons. one is because there is a flicker of recognition on at least one of the men in the group. the other would be because of what would happen shortly next.]

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