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La Storia della Arcana Famiglia [T]

Khawill

<3
1,567
Posts
11
Years
"Annabeth," Ari flashed a goofy looking smile as she walked up to the me. "You know what you should do? Dance. Maybe with a boy that can stand the sight of you… Dear god, what are you wearing? Clearly you would've been better off in that maid's outfit."

I sighed, I had no idea what to address first. Her mutilation of my name or the insult on my clothes. Steven pat my shoulder, I already knew what that meant: Time to see the head sword. "Look Ms Tramp I..." She had already walked off though before I cold get my words out. "Wow she bothers me a lot!"

"Well don't do anything about it, no need to get in more trouble than you are already in." He smiled brightly, but I noticed that Ari had walked straight to Tobi. "Seems she is taking a liking to that young sword, uh Tobi right?" I remembered that it would make sense for Steven to know Tobi as they were both swords, "Good kid, hope he doesn't get caught in anything bad involving that girl."

"Knowing Ari, he probably is. Let's go see your boss and just have a good time." I was passed annoyed now, Ari was up to something and I just knew it would infuriate me in some way. "Do you think they have coffee somewhere?"

Steven looked around, "I wouldn't imagine there to be any, considering it is late and we are not at a cafe." He laughed a bit, "I don't think you should have anything that gives you energy anyways." I swear coffe must come with a label that say keep away from Annabelle!

"Whatever, let's talk to Marcus and then I can get some cocoa." I sighed deeply, it wouldn't be right to punch or kick Steven now, I mean he gave me time to run hours ago. Might as well see what the old guard wants.

We walked up to Marcus and Steven immediately stood at attention out of respect, "Hello sir! I have brought Mistress Annabelle as requested, on accounts of assault, stealing, and public distress." I did no sign of respect nor disrespect, I simply stood there as he listed my misdemeanors.

"Not to say that I take pride in my work, but those accounts of "assaults" were mostly against boys and I beat them in a fair fight! Also I didn't steal anything, I came when the stores were closed and needed food, so I borrowed some. I paid them back! Oh and when is yelling and starting a fight in public a crime!?" I felt I needed to explain myself, so I wouldn't sound like a common delinquent. "If it is any consolation also, I came to see you instead of beating up another guard." Steven kind of laughed at that, but he was trying to stay in a respectful, serious position. I noticed Ari looking this way, seemingly distracted.

Needless to say a wicked smile came upon my face, "Hey uh Marcus, I know I'm probably going to get in trouble or something, but I have a question. Can I talk to you privately for a sec?" Steven caught the hint and likely my smile and backed off. I lowered my voice, "I want to dance with a boy here, but you see I have no idea how, could you, uh probably show me?"
 

machomuu

Stuck in Hot Girl Summer
10,507
Posts
15
Years

Adam Randi - Justice Arcana


"I can't believe that I'm actually here," Adam said with his hand to his face, clad in a tuxedo shirt and pants.

"Please, you needed something to do today, that's why you asked me!" Said the lovely Mina with a rather expensive looking dress on, a blue one with silver heels, clinging to his arm.

"Don't make stuff up!" He retorted, "You dragged me here and made me wear my dad's tuxedo- and my normal clothes would have been perfectly fine, by the way." That was pretty much the story. Mina ambushed Adam on his way back to the mansion and forced him to go with her to the ball, knowing that he definitely didn't have anyone else to accompany him. He couldn't really refuse because she since she did a lot for him that same morning, and she was a good friend he didn't want to piss off.

"Well, I've never been to a ball before," Mina said with a smile. "I've never been in a place this luxurious and grand. Everything about this place just makes me envy you so much! I'd live here if I could!" She was getting far too excited for Adam to handle...though he did consider that maybe he was underplaying the situation. The mansion did seem a lot fuller than normal, and clearly a lot of work went into decorating. He decided to indulge Mina, as she was a good friend of his, despite dragging him to a place he definitely didn't want to be, there was no since and boring her when she was already so mystified.

"So, then..." Adam paused for a moments, scratching the back of his head. "You...uh..." He looked in another direction, feeling uncharacteristically awkward about the situation. "You want to dance?" Mina looked at Adam with a rather strange look. It was as if she was trying to see exactly who it was who asked her the question, as if she didn't recognize that it was Adam; if she wasn't mystified before, she definitely was now. Adam looked at Mina and then turned away and said, "W-what's the problem?" Mina didn't respond.

Instead, she seemed to be looking around for someone. Then, when she found...whoever it was she was looking for, her eyes widened. "Hey, who's that guy over there?" She said, pointing to someone. Adam looked in the target of Mina's pointer finger to find Aerous. "He looks kinda like you." She said, looking at Adam, looking to Aerous, and looking back to Adam. "Kinda. I want to meet him, what's his name?"

Adam was taken aback by all of this; he wasn't exactly sure why she looked at Adam like she did without giving a response and then immediately asking about someone else...but like before, he decided to indulge her. "His name is Aerous. I don't think I've ever had a formal conversation with the guy. All I know is that he's a high ranking member of Sword and-"

Before he could finish his sentence, Mina pulled Adam by his arm towards the stairs. It was a little embarrassing to Adam, but he couldn't exactly stop her. She stopped in front of Aerous and said, "My name's Mina, would you care to dance?" Adam was rather shocked by the fact that she completely disregarded exactly what his job was at the moment. He wasn't sure if she didn't know or if she didn't care, but he had to admit, she was pretty bold.
 

SV

See You Space Cowboy
3,393
Posts
13
Years
  • Seen Feb 7, 2022

Marcus and Flint de Telarius- #8 Strength, #7 The Chariot


Marcus manned the entrance to the grand hall, awaiting the arrival of the guests, but before that, the arrival of his Swords. He made last minute preparations to ensure that the ball would be up to the highest possible levels of security, but also that it guaranteed an environment of entertainment and enjoyment, which stemmed from the main fact that it would be safe. These proceedings here in the ball were a reflection of the same standard Marcus held to the rest of his job on Regalo. Everything had to go according to plan. No loose ends. Nothing out of the ordinary.

The other members of Swords eventually made their appearance before him, although one was missing. Marcus checked his pocketwatch, seeing that they didn't have the time to wait for her, so he proceeded to address the others without waiting. It was a shame though, as Marcus had intended for the other Swords to have arrived early so he could have spoken to them more individually about their recent assignment with the thieves. He would have to settle for it at sometime later during the ball, if he got the chance.

"I've read the report on the thief objective." He stated to them, moving his eyes from one to another. This statement of fact was typical of Marcus, as he never liked to give compliments for jobs well done. He felt it was an unnecessary gesture, as one should not be complimented on doing what they were obligated to do. To him, it was like complimenting someone who had successfully used the bathroom. "We'll discuss the details more in full. For now, the ball will be commencing soon. We'll be in charge of security here, though there will be other Famiglia guards around as well. Our objective is to ensure that all goes well in the ball. No nonsense, no complications. Our primary objective is the safety and security of the attendees. Everything else is secondary. I understand Aerous, that you requested to be Nova's bodyguard, so make your way over to the bottom of the staircase and await his arrival. The rest of you, spread out and keep an eye out for anything suspicious. Oda will be second in command of security here. If you catch wind of anything strange or suspicious, alert myself or her. Socialization during the ball is acceptable, but make sure to maintain focus on our duties as well." Marcus turned his head to the sound of chatter on approach. "Guests will be arriving shortly. Nova and Felicita should arrive later. Dismissed."

The party began to commence, and it was an inevitable eventuality that the following event occurred, as a guard led Annabelle Belizaire to him. Marcus wanted to facepalm, but resisted as to maintain his appearance of authority and respect.

"Ah...miss Belizaire." Marcus enunciated politely. His eyes darted between the young woman and the apparently young guard, who should have known better than to send minor squabbles to him. He was in charge of the entire defense of Regalo, the collective security, representing the entire government of La Famiglia. Minor offenses should be taken to the Head of Coin, to which Annabelle was apart of, and if some criminal offense really did occur, it could have easily been handled by a lesser member of Swords, not by the leader. Marcus instead stayed silent, standing straight as an arrow with his arms folded behind his back, both listening to her, and looking around to ensure nobody was catching anything of what she was saying, as Marcus didn't want to alert the guests of possible criminal or delinquent behavior present.

"Hey uh Marcus, I know I'm probably going to get in trouble or something, but I have a question. Can I talk to you privately for a sec?" Marcus looked around the slowly filling room and sighed, not really wishing to entertain her request, as he had more important matters of security to attend to, but also not wishing to appear rude in front of others, as to maintain his stature in the community as a representative of the Telarius family. The other guard left, leaving Marcus standing along with her. "I want to dance with a boy here, but you see I have no idea how, could you, uh probably show me?"

Marcus eyed her, in a somewhat disbelieving manner to her rather unusual request. "You mean to tell me that you were aware of this ball for a while now, knew there would be the possibility of dancing, and waiting until the actual party to request lessons?" He asked her, a hint of irritability in his voice, though he did his best to shield it and maintain his steady demeanor. Marcus sighed. "The trick is to let your partner lead in the dance. He will guide you, and you must do your best to follow his lead. If I may..." Marcus said, grabbing hold of her hand and waist in a traditional waltz stance, though not actually dancing, but rather showing her how in place. "...now, when one usually dances, eyes should be either in contact with the partner, or at some other object on the same level of eyesight, never below the neck of the partner. However, since you lack the ability to maintain the proper footwork, your eyes must be focused on your partners feet. Try to copy the steps he does, a simple 1-2-3 step process usually, before you get the hand of it and your feet are moving together in unison." As he explained to her, Marcus caught sight of his brother Flint, who surprised him by arriving early to the ball, making his way over to the food and drink section. "There is obviously not the full extent of how to dance, but I believe it helped. Now if you excuse me," He said with a slight bow of the head. "I must be going. Good luck in your dance." He began departing, before remembering the other part of his conversation with her, and stopped. "Oh, and for future purposes, if you truly wish to continue acting in delinquency and foolishness, please understand that I am the Head of Sword, not your personal probation officer, and I am quite a busy man. Enjoy the party."

Marcus walked away from Annabelle towards his brother Flint, whom he had expected to have either arrived very late, in some sort of despicable manner, or in clothes befitting that of a homeless man. Needless to say, he was surprised to see him groomed and reasonably dressed, though not in any outfit he recognized. Marcus didn't understand it. He bought him clothing of the finest quality and price, yet still Flint refuses to wear it. He approached his younger brother, scanning around the room as he went, making sure all security measures were in order.

"Flint." Marcus said, acknowledging his brother with a nod of the head, which in Marcus's terms, was probably the equivalent of smile, or any other slight show of emotion. "I'm surprised to see you here early. Well, early for you. I would have rather seen you here a bit before the proceedings began."

"To be completely honest, I am surprised you even wanted to see me here. The guards at the door really made me feel welcome. Anyway, what do you want? Come to scold me a bit before you go off and be the prodigal son of our family?" Flint said before shrugging his shoulders and continuing to binge drink on whatever strange mix he found himself gorging himself on.

Marcus glared at Flint, though in honesty, that was exactly what he intended to do, though perhaps not how he would put it. "I'm not here to scold you, Flint. I'm here to educate you. As a member of the de Telarius family, you have certain expectations thrust upon your shoulders, the likes of which make your every action scrutinized by others. This is why your actions back on the ship were unacceptable. Because of the way you engaged the criminal, it resulted in difficulty apprehending the suspects overall. Not to mention the manner by which you disposed of him. Think of how it would have looked if the man was killed, or if he would have died there in the ocean. We have protocol for a reason, and be you in Swords or Coin or any other part of La Famiglia, it is expected that you follow it." Marcus stared intensely at Flint, while also making periodic looks around, half for security reasons and half to make sure nobody was listening to the 'discussion'. He kept himself at a reasonably low tone, so that those far enough would believe he is merely conversing with his brother.

"Yeah...I know. But to be fair, I kinda knew in the back of my mind that you had the situation covered. You always do. After all, you are in all ways perfect, aren't you?" Flint's speech was becoming more irritable than normal. Probably something in the drink. "I'll keep in mind, alright? That is all you are getting out of me today. No promises."

It wasn't the ideal answer, but from Flint, it was good enough for Marcus. He nodded to Flint once more. "Very well. Just remember: I might not always be around to watch you. You have to be ready in case that situation every arises, and do what is expected of you." He looked around again, making sure all security was in order, before patting Flint on the back. "Now go socialize with the others, will you? You represent this family just like the others." Marcus took another few looks around the grand hall, looking for his other siblings in particular. "Speaking of which, let me know if you see Beck around. If that boy is late again..."

"Ha! Socialize. Like that is going to happen. Let's face facts here, Marcus, I am not exactly popular around here. As for Beck, he wasn't in our room or anything. Maybe he's busy with some work," Flint said with another shrug before drinking more. He'd love to socialize, but with Marcus being all fancy and all the other boys taking up the girls, he wasn't really in the mood at the moment. But that is what food and drink for: filling the void.

Marcus walked away from Flint shaking his head. He never understood how he ended up the way he did. Sure, each of the Telarius siblings sported distinct personalities, but at least the others were easier to control. Flint was certainly special, and not exactly the good kind.

Marcus wandered around the room full of guess almost with the appearance of no purpose, but instead he was observing around, making sure it was secure and safe for everyone inside. Despite a good deal of the guests having the personal ability to defend themselves, Marcus's duty was to ensure that they wouldn't have to, either way. Among the crowd of people he spotted Camellia, who he also intended to have a conversation with, part of which was to address her actions on the ship, and the other part to remind her of her obligations while at this party. As he approached Camellia, he analyzed her choice of wardrobe. As per usual, Marcus had few if any complaints about her choice in what she wore, including tonight. He was also slightly content to see her wearing a pendant he had bought for her as a celebration of her initiation into La Famiglia. Fully intent to chastise Camellia, he found himself unable to when he noticed the presence of the Head of Intelligence, Ari Terranci. Marcus, for the sake of keeping apart his public and private affairs, elected not to bring up the topics to Camellia, instead choosing to politely greet the two of them.

"Camellia. Miss Terranci." He said to them with a slight bow of his head, in both respect of the leadership of another branch of La Famiglia and one entitled to his sister from the de Telarius family. "You two look very beautiful tonight." He said, mostly in passing conversation and then proceeded on checking his surroundings once more, ever vigilant in his duties towards the family.
 

Swolligator

Butcher of the Sands
1,955
Posts
14
Years

Camellia de Telarius - #20 Judgement


Camellia stiffened, the hair on the back of her neck standing on end as a vision penetrated into her line of sight. It flickered for a brief moment before dying away, leaving Camellia to return to her socialising between Ari, Marcus and Flint. "Ari and Marcus, you two should totally have a dance as heads of sectors," she pushed Ari closer towards Marcus, achieving disapproving glances from the both of them, "Flint, you still owe me that dance for saving my life…" she said rather rapidly, "but I have something of urgency to attended to." She blew a kiss towards the three of them before turning on her heels and scanning the now crowded dance floor.

Looking fairly relaxed for the supposed "guard" of Papa, Aerous stood by the grand staircase on the other side of the room. She watched as two people emerged from the crowd that encircled him and immediately Camellia knew this was the moment she had seen. Running as quickly as she could in heels, she dodged, barged and forced her way through the crowd of people that had gathered, trying to get to the other side of the room as quickly as possible. For a moment there she was sure she wasn't going to make it in time and that her vision would come true, but she soon separated herself from the crowd, throwing herself from between two rather large party-goes and crashing, albeit rather lightly, into Aerous' muscular form.

"Sorry kids, Aerous and I have a date!" Camellia beamed at Adam and Mina standing there, obviously somewhat surprised at the sudden outburst much less appearance of Camellia. Without further ado, she wrapped her arm around Aerous', dragging him from his post and into the waves of bodies that danced on the floor. Manoeuvring her hands so her left hand rested lightly on his shoulder, whilst her right gripped his other hand, she made sure to place his free hand on her hip first.

"This is nice, isn't it?" She asked him smiling.​
 

Xlugon Pyro

Dragon Tamer
308
Posts
16
Years
Xoxaa Illiphia
The High Priestess

"Yup... I'm late..." realizes Xoxaa as she approaches the doors of the ball, her back just slightly hunched in absolute dread, clearly an improper posture for a woman supposedly of high class being in the Famiglia.

"Uhh, Miss Illiphia?" states one of the guards, a quizzical gesture on his face as he notices the young woman's posture and sullen expression on her face.

Xoxaa jumps, startled by the words and immediately straightens up with a nervous smile on her phase, making the situation all the more awkward as her face is now fully dolled up by the maids to look her best, which they surely did with her but she had refused to look at herself in the mirror to avert inevitable embarrassment. She stands there, frozen like always when strangers speak to her, but it only worsens at a time like this, as formal events are most certainly her bane.

"Marcus wanted to see you earlier but it seems he's already addressed the other Swords. He wants us all to make sure no troubles arise during the event and for us to avert any problems that may come up," declares the guard, reminding the girl inadvertently once again of her inability to arrive there on time.

"I-uh... uhm..." she stammers briefly, shifting her gaze downward slightly before continuing. "Uh... ok..."

The guards are again puzzled bu the girls mystifying behavior, her eyes again gluing themselves to the not so intimidating floor as she approaches the guards in order to enter the ball. After looking to each other and shrugging their shoulders, they nonetheless allow her in and she escapes into the chaos before the guards have a chance to utter another sound towards her. Unfortunately, the insides of the ball are much worse, with loud, often painful to the ear music, people's voices everywhere, bouncing off the walls and smashing into the girl's sensitive, fragile eardrum. Overwhelmed by the terrible environment, the girl's expression quickly turns from an uncomfortable frown to a straightened face of absolute terror. Jerking her head back and forth while examining the minefield she's thrusted into, she spots a corner of the ballroom where fewer people have collected, and better yet where she could sit. Wasting no time, her feet are swift as they can be in her heels, racing for her sanity and nearly tripping over herself before reaching her safer haven. Finding her rear end's way into the seat, she sighs, shutting her eyes briefly to recover from the sensory shock, and begins to scan the room again, observing the actions of the others at the ball.

"I hope this doesn't last too long. I want to get back to my room, eat something and sleep."
 

machomuu

Stuck in Hot Girl Summer
10,507
Posts
15
Years

Adam Randi - Justice Arcana


Adam couldn't help but burst into laughter. No, not at Mina's failure, but the fact that Aerous, one of the main authority figures in charge of keeping the higher-ups secure, as well as the one who was largely in charge of the security of the guests, was just dragged away by someone who was just a little jealous. Mina glared at Adam with daggers in her eyes; she didn't like to be laughed at. He also noticed tears welling up in her eyes. Honestly, he wasn't sure if he should comfort her, as she was in a very dangerous state. He tapped her on her shoulder and her eyes immediately darted to it. The thought that she was going to break it quickly entered his mind, but he decided to try his best to ignore it.

"C'mon Mimi, I'm not laughing at you." She looked back up at him again, this time with duller daggers. "Let's dance, I know you want to." He said, offering her his hand. Instead of taking his hand, she took the handkerchief that was in the breast pocket of his tuxedo and wiped her eyes with it, promptly folding it back up and placing it back in his tuxedo. He was a little irritated by this, but kept his hand out still. She decided to ignore him and looked past him, as if she were looking for someone else. Once she spotted...whoever it was she was looking for, she dragged Adam to another location. He'd never seen her act like this before, it was a little strange. He knew that she wanted to dance, but she didn't know why she was avoiding him. Was it that she didn't want to dance with him? Then why did she accompany him to the ball in the first place, he doesn't even like to dance.

Once she arrived at her destination, Mina pushed Adam and said, "You two have fun now!" With a playful wave and a smile, she darted off into the crowd. You 'two'? What is she talking about? Adam looked in front of him and noticed a familiar face. It was Xoxaa Illiphia, of the High Priestess Arcana. She looked lonely and- Oh, crap. A light bulb flickered in his head and he figured out what was going on. She was trying to force herself away from him so that he would have to socialize with someone. She was a lot more like his little sister, Marta, than he gave her credit for.

Still, he'd never actually met Xoxaa before, he simply knew who she was. He wasn't exactly sure how to approach her, so he decided to do a quick examination of her. Her eyes seemed to be darting from person to person, never exactly settling on one person or object for too long. She was clearly uncomfortable with the whole situation, and much like Adam, she didn't want to be there.

He walked over to her, with his hands in his pockets, and put his back to the wall adjacent to her. He didn't say anything immediately, and he looked down at her a few times before looking back at the crowd of guests. He was having trouble finding words that would comfort her in any way, he wasn't sure what he could say to her without coming across as a nuisance. "Uh..." He started, scratching his head as he often did when he was nervous. "You know, you don't have to stay here if you don't want to..." He swallowed and started again. "I mean, you seem pretty uncomfortable...and they can't force you to stay here..."
 
1,176
Posts
15
Years
  • Seen Jul 18, 2016
Ari, The Empress.

"Camellia. Miss Terranci." A distracted Ari immediately tensed up as she hadn't been expecting a man's voice. She cursed under her breath before she gave Marcus a quick smile. "You two look very beautiful tonight." Blushed cheeks emerged victorious as Ari had failed to fight them off. In her best attempt she struggled to put into words how sophisticated and put together his outfit was. How it bought out all the features Ari was always heavily fixated on. A muted Ari left all those emotions to swirl around her head as she awaited Camellia's response.

"Ari and Marcus, you two should totally have a dance as heads of sectors," Camellia's voice came off distracted yet she still managed to push Ari closer towards Marcus. Ari shot her a look but found her moving at an incredible speed through the crowd toward the staircase. The thought to reprimand her for the takeoff and her loud mouth was shoved to the back of her mind as she noticed just how close she was to a surveying Marcus.

"You do realize that someone would be a fool to attack us with all of La Famiglia here, right" She kept her voice monotone, she had been monitoring his movements since before he came closer. "Do you know how to relax?" The question itself would've been silly for anyone else but when it came to Marcus he was always on duty. She felt the same constant stress sometimes as Head of Intelligence yet she managed to have her own brand of fun. His branch was quite a bit more demanding with work than hers but what were the point of subordinates if they weren't to be used? Ari could tell that he was a bit of a perfectionist and perfection wasn't going to happen unless he took control and forced it.

"Also, I have no intention of calling you Mr. de Telarius, Marcus. As much as I appreciate your formalness it's always Ari," Her gaze had shifted downwards towards the wine glass she fiddled while she spoke. "I do have every intention of dancing with you."

The newfound confidence came as a shock to Ari, she had every intention previously to leave the ball. If Marcus rejected her here and now her infatuation would wither but that was better than having it be fully blossomed and then sliced to pieces later. A brief smile came across her face; unlike the one she flashed earlier at Tobi there were actually feelings of affection behind it. Before Marcus could politely excused himself for some Sword related duty Ari took a daring step forward and wrapped her arms loosely around his neck. Despite her height shift from the heels her dancing partner was still taller than her. She bit her lip, her experience with guys had never gone this way they were always intimidated and overpowered by her personality. A moment came when Ari briefly looked him in the eyes; Camellia's were definitely more alive. She seized the opportunity to try and pry the secrets that they held but they wouldn't budge. While they danced Ari made sure that Marcus and her were spun in a slow circle. She was aware that he would have the urge to check their surroundings. That's why she hoped he'd be able to that and dance with her if they spun.​
 

CarefulWetPaint

Doctor Lobotomy
1,193
Posts
12
Years
Aerous Oxus, The Star

Tick tock tick tock. The clock in Aerous room was the only thing making a sound as he sat on the edge of the bed, it had been an hour since he began waiting for the guard to come. Hearing approaching footsteps he stood up from the bed and went to the door, opening as the guard went to knock it, slightly scaring the guard. "Uh, Mr Oxus.." The surprised guard said, trying to regain himself. "Uh, umm, Liberta is ready to see you now. Um.. Please follow me."

"Sure, lets go Sir." Aerous replied smiling, exiting his room. Following the guard he made his way to Liberta's quarters. Ready to get his orders for the night. Stopping at the entrance to Liberta's room, the guard knocked on the door before opening it. Inside Liberta was pacing, he clearly looked nervous, even to Aerous.

"Ah Aerous, you're finally here, welcome. So I hear you'll be Nova's personal guard for when he arrives at the ball, correct? This will require you to be situated near the staircase to stop anybody from ascending and then you'll need to ascend the stairs to be ready for the arrival of Felicita and myself, as well as Nova and Luca who will be arriving slightly after us. These are your orders for the night, nothing may override these orders." The tone of his voice showed that he was slightly nervous about the night's events, which made Aerous consider how seriously he would have to take the job.

"I understand Sir, I won't let anything interfere with tonight's ball or anyone get to Nova." Aerous replied with obvious confidence in his voice.

"Thank you, Aerous. Feel free to socialise for a while as the ball begins, just make sure you don't get too far away from the staircase and you're ready to greet us after around forty-five minutes. Understand?" Liberta asked to confirm that Aerous understood his orders.

"I understand Sir, I will see you there tonight." Aerous replied, leaving the room afterwards and making his way towards the ballroom.

Once arriving he confirmed his orders with Marcus, before lthe group of Swords dispersed to their positions. Taking his position in front of the stairs he allowed his body to relax so he would be ready to react to anything that could happen without tensing up. His arcana mark was glowing lightly underneath his clothing while he surveyed the surroundings, waiting for the guest to start arriving. Guest started arriving at the ball, Aerous noting who had come to make sure there wasn't anyone he didn't recognise. He noted the entrance of Ari and Camellia, whom both were looking rather beautiful in there formal attire, though Camellia beauty outshone Ari's. Aerous also noted Marcus having a conversation with Annabelle, who apparently was a bit of a trouble maker in the family.

A few more card holders had arrived, Aerous noted as he kept up his relaxed demeanour, still surveying the ball for any signs of trouble. He saw an annoyed Flint De Telarious walk through the grand entrance to the ballroom and head straight towards the food and drink tables, followed closely by Marcus who had aburptly finished up with Annabelle at the entrance of his brother.He's going to greet his brother personally, aren't they such a close family! The thought of a family being that close brought a slight smile to Aerous face.I wish I was that close more people. Looking towards the entrance he saw Xoxaa of the Swords enter, looking awkwardly at the ground instead of her surroundings, this slightly worried Aerous. Looking around again he saw Ari approaching him, she had a look of pleasure on her face as she got closer.

"Why on earth aren't we trusting Marcus to oversee Nova?" Her words floated to Aerous as she continued to get closer, stopping to continue her insults. Her insults finished with a crumbling kiss dispersing centimetres away from Aerous cheek, allowing his retort.

"It's because Marcus has a date tonight, Ari. Oh also you wouldn't want him seeing that kiss, he might get jealous.. Oh wait, he won't care!" The words struck a shocked Ari like daggers. A proud Aerous watched as Ari turned and strutted away.

Soon he saw an unfamiliar face approaching, Adam Randi in tow towards him. She shouldn't be a threat, she's here with a cardholder. He thought but then to his surprise she stopped in front of him. He took her all in quickly, she's fairly cute.

"My name's Mina, would you care to dance?" she said to him, rather boldy. Aerous shot a look at Adam, who he assumed she was here on a date with to see the shock clearly on his face. Suddenly he saw how this situation was going to end and began his response.

"Mina, I'm honoured but I'm sorry I-" He didn't get a chance to finish his sentence before a beautiful Camellia crashed, rather lightly into his body.

"Sorry kids, Aerous and I have a date!" She beamed at Adam and Mina, whom were looking surprised at her sudden interuption. She quickly pulled Aerous away from his post, without much of a struggle on his part as it was clearly the easiest way out of the situation she had put him in and he still had a few minutes before he had to go up and greet Liberta and Felicita. The couple, with Camellia leading manoeuvered their way through deeper into the crowd, before Aerous slyly turned them around, allowing them to get closer to the stairs once again without her noticing. Can't neglect my duties too much. He thought as she took him into a dancing position, placing his right hand on her hip and her left hand on his shoulder.

"This is nice, isn't it?" She asked Aerous smiling as he took the lead in the dance, once again leading them slightly closer to the stair case. Not surprisingly he was a good dancer as it was a physical activity, much to the chagrin of other members of the family who always looked down at him as an idiot.

"It really is." He finally replied before looking up at the ballrooms clock. "Though I am incredibly sorry, I must leave now. Bye." He announced as he removed himself from her grip and headed back to the stairs, taking a quick look around before proceeding up them to wait for the special guests to arrive.
 
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Xlugon Pyro

Dragon Tamer
308
Posts
16
Years
Xoxaa Illiphia
The High Priestess

"You two have fun now!" blurts an unfamiliar female voice with a playful tone, breaking Xoxaa's thoughts apart and throwing her head up to ascertain the new situation.

"Who the hell is this clown?" she spots the intruder of her peace.

Xoxaa's corner didn't keep its sovereignty for long. A girl she didn't recognize brought along a whipped boy, also unfamiliar to her, and since there wasn't anyone else in the immediate vicinity, the girl must be referring to Xoxaa. Her personal space had been abruptly intruded upon by unwarranted strangers and she wanted them gone, and while one of them, the girl that came off as an obnoxious moron to Xoxaa was kind enough to vacate the scene, she left with Xoxaa her own whipped baggage, drawing Xoxaa's eyes back towards the ground in anticipation of the boy's soon departure. However, his encroachment only escalates, trekking closer to Xoxaa before planting his backside against the wall. The man glances at her a few times before returning his gaze to the center of the ball, clearly analyzing her, causing her to bring her arms further into her lap and look away from the strange white haired man, her gaze averting downward and remaining silent.

"Uh..." he mutters, probably in an attempt to start up conversation considering his nervous tone and his face refraining from looking towards Xoxaa, only causing the girl to clench herself tighter and look further away, visibly upset and extremely uncomfortable.

"You know, you don't have to stay here if you don't want to..." gulps the man, struggling to speak but nonetheless continues with his ceaseless, invasive dribble. "I mean, you seem pretty uncomfortable... and they can't force you to stay here..."

"What the hell!? Get the hell away from me!"

There is no sign that the guy wants to leave the area, and Xoxaa, too upset by the circumstances to maintain much of a conversation, resorts to her last option, even though it may be incredibly rude, but at this point, she has no choice. If people wont respect her space, all she can do is escape the area and find a new sanctuary.

"Please leave me alone," she states strongly as she throws herself out of her seat, her voice strong yet soft but still her eyes remain averting away from the man as she begins to walk, picking up her bag of supplies and leaves her formerly unoccupied safe haven in a sea of chaotic madness.

"I hope he doesn't try to follow me," she pleads to herself while scouring the ballroom for an unoccupied space and dodging the clusters of people dancing, keeping to the emptier parts of the room.

Her search soon leads her to find something else of intrigue. A food and drink table, sparsely populated with a few people now and then quickly grabbing what they want before leaving. However, one anomaly seems more intent on staying there. A dirty blonde haired man, with a tall, well proportioned build gorging the contents of the food table. He seems more occupied by stuffing his face, so Xoxaa decides to approach the table and examine irs contents as well, hoping that the two of them and keep their distance from each other by focusing solely on emptying the table of sustenance. The girl's hungry eyes lit up as soon as she spots platters of lunch meat slices and cheese, a few crackers of many varieties, and a few paper cups and flavored drink dispensers. It may not be a place to sit and avoid people per-se, but people will be unlikely to harass her at a table where food is the main interest of those who arrive there. Still, she keeps her eyes and ears open for any disturbance that might approach her new social bunker.
 

SV

See You Space Cowboy
3,393
Posts
13
Years
  • Seen Feb 7, 2022

Marcus de Telarius and Ari Terranci- #3 The Empress & #8 Strength


Marcus had barely a chance to react before the impulsive Camellia thrust the two sector leaders together. He glared at his younger sister as she made her way to the other side of the room. Marcus shook his head, making a mental note to deal with her later. He still hadn't gotten a chance to talk with her about what she had done wrong on the ship.

Marcus's eyes focused back to Ari as she discussed foolishness of attack on the ball. Marcus agreed, though his approach was that the possibility of attack became impossible simply because those who protected the island continued to do so, never giving criminals a sign of weakness. Though he never got a chance to say so as she moved onto another question. Relaxation. Marcus hadn't been able to relax in quite a while. He wasn't sure he knew how. He also wasn't sure it was entirely appropriate, especially while on the job.

Marcus was about to tell Ari that he would prefer her to refer to him as Marcus, but she surprised him with the suggestion that they dance. That was the second time some had suggested that they dance that evening, the first time with Annabelle, though Marcus would be the first to admit that he would much rather have danced with Ari (especially since she apparently knew how). Marcus thought about it for a moment, but Ari never gave him the chance as she stepped in and placed her arms loosely around his neck. He made no attempt to stop her, deciding that two sector leaders dancing here would be more than appropriate, as Marcus should be socializing as well as maintaining security.

"I must admit, Miss..." He stopped and corrected himself, "...Ari, that I never knew you were like this. We never have socialized that often before." He said to her, staring into her lavender eyes for a brief moment, which he found quite lovely, before looking around once more as they twirled, making sure everything at the party was in order.

"There's a lot that you've yet to figure out about me," Ari chuckled a bit, she couldn't believe that she was actually going to say this, "But there's plenty of time for you to learn and us to socialize, if you're up for it?" She hoped her question didn't linger too long but she also wanted him to put thought into his response. It was common knowledge that his first responsibility was to Sword as hers were to Intelligence. Then there were the duties she felt exhausted him to the point where he no longer yearned for conversation.

Marcus looked down at Ari as they slowly twirled in a circle again. "By all means." He said politely. "It is more than appropriate for two sector heads to have a more personable relationship. It could work to strengthen our understanding of each others' sectors while providing more coherence and lucidity in our service to Regalo. I can see by the way other sector's members behave that some are quite different." He looked over to Annabelle from a distance as he said this, shaking his head before returning his gaze to Ari, giving her a small smile.

"Business as usual though I agree," She mirrored where his eyes went and consequently regretted that moment as her eyes fell upon Annabelle. A couple behind the Apprentice unfortunately caught her attention and bristled her more than Annabelle, Camellia and Aerous. She turned back in time to see Marcus smile, it quickly became one of her favorite physical characteristics about him especially since it was rare to come across, which lead Ari to treasured it. "Speaking of which, how about that pairing of suborinates?" She paused their dancing for a bit in order to fully witness Camellia disgrace herself by accompanying that Adept to the dancefloor.

"Oh...", Marcus began, his smile instantly dropping, but clearly not wishing to publicly display his disapproval for her taking up with Aerous, whom he viewed as lesser than Camellia. She should have decided to socialize with someone more fitting of her stature in society. Thankfully, he was able to cover this up in the last second with a turnaround hit on Aerous instead. "He...he should be waiting by the staircase for Nova and Felicita!" He said aloud, wondering if he should end his dance with Ari and go separate the two, sending Aerous back into his position by the stairs and Camellia away from the man. Perhaps he was being a bit of an overprotective brother, but he convinced himself he was intead acting on his duties, or more particularly Aerous's lack of his own, instead. However, he stopped himself from heading over as he soon saw Aerous leave Camellia and take his spot back by the staircase. A small smile formed across Marcus's face again, pleased with the discipline of his subordinate. Perhaps his constant lecturing was beginning to pay off, but then again Aerous did always take direction well. "Ah..." he said aloud, returning his attention to Ari once more. "Alls well that ends well, I suppose." He took a moment to gaze back at Camellia to ensure the two had parted.


Ari observed his face as he took notice of his only sister with his Adept. "I'm glad he was chosen instead of you," In an attempt to further their intimacy Ari gradually moved her hands upwards to feel his golden brown hair between her fingers. "You suppose? Well seeing as he's not in my sector and I don't have to pretend to be cordial to him... I don't like members who can barely form a whole sentence. He may be able to slice with a sword or whatever you guys do with them!" Her inexperience with sword terminology was quite evident in her remark about her companion's Adept. "The guys got less brains than that dog that wonders around here. She most certainly can do better... Maybe you could teach a little something about physical combat? If you're not too busy, I know how invested you are in your work. I mean I've heard about it." A worried Ari prayed that Marcus wouldn't question how she knew about his work ethic. It would be easy for her to pass it off as Camellia story but in reality a curious Ari took matters into her own hands and found out by her own means.

It was at the touching of his hair by her fingers that Marcus initially became aware that this dance was probably a lot less professional and a lot more personal than he originally thought. But perhaps he was simply overthinking, and this was normal socializing. Marcus wasn't sure at this point. It wasn't his normal mingling he was used to. His first thought should have been to cease at once, perhaps end the dance there and return to maintaining his professionalism expected from him, but for whatever reason, he didn't. His reassurance to himself was that it was completely harmless mingling. It was still new territory to him. "You...you generally impale them for the most effective means of...well, never mind." He said in a lower voice, a tad bit flustered by the obviously unexpected conversation ambience. He cleared his throat and tried to compose himself as he attempted to gain ground back to normalcy in the conversation.

"It would be my pleasure. I would always have time for you..." He quickly corrected himself. "That is, ensuring that La Famiglia's members are well capable of defending themselves is something I'd always have time for. It is, after all, apart of my duty."

His actions indicated to Ari that she hadn't overstepped the boundaries but she knew that she was on the line. Satisfied that she didn't cause him to flee her attention returned to the conversation at hand. "That it is, you wouldn't want me telling Nova that you're slacking..." The tone of her voice came across more humorless than she wanted. In an effort to assist her own joke she tried to genuinely laugh but it came off as more of a hoarse cough. "I'll take your word for it and hold it as a promise so don't you dare disappoint me. People who do, well, I'm sure you've heard the rumors?" An inquisitive Ari liked to keep track reputation within La Famiglia and on the island of Regalo. Her treatment of the members seemed to cause a general dislikeness to those who had yet to interact with her.

Marcus chuckled a bit, lightening the mood. He could feel himself relax a bit, enjoying the company of Ari. "Indeed I have, Ari. Indeed I have."
 

Legend

Kingslayer
1,308
Posts
15
Years

Flint de Telarius- The Chariot


While having no right to be apart of the conversation other than his relative vicinity to it, Flint listened in on Marcus' interaction with Camellia and Charisi Terranci. Flint's knowledge of the other sectors was very limited, unless they were involved with Coin. He almost knew nothing of Sword, Intelligence or any of the others. It was easy to see why though: He ignored Marcus' stories of Sword because that involved listening to Marcus and Camellia's stories were only exciting once in a while. Even then, he didn't really remember any of the names in the stories. "Ari", as he always heard her to be referred to as. was a branch head though; that much Flint knew. So he kept his mouth full of food as to avoid talking. It would be doubtful that "Ari" would ever talk to Flint, so he would be able to avoid formalities easily. This made him pleased.

"Ari and Marcus, you two should totally have a dance as heads of sectors," Camellia said as she pushed Ari closer towards Marcus, achieving disapproving glances from the both of them, "Flint, you still owe me that dance for saving my life…" she said quickly, "but I have something of urgency to attended to." She blew a kiss towards the three of them before turning on her heels and leaving rather abruptly. Flint let out a sigh of relief, now assured that his relative social isolation was safe. Sure, Flint was a capable dancer, having retained most of his lessons in his youth and being something of a natural anyway (in other words, he could probably improvise or adapt to the dance if need be), but he preferred other "forms" of dancing more than this formal dancing that was occurring. And the only dance he wanted to do was the kind that involved food. In other words, eating.

Flint would occasionally pause from his relaxation and enjoyment of free food to observe the party. One reason was to make sure no one bothered him that he didn't want to really engage in conversation with. Another was to see if Beck was ever going to show up. Marcus did ask fairly nice to let him know when Beck arrived, the least he could was notify Marcus about 20 minutes after the fact. After all, he did not want to ruin his time with "Ari" over there. There were getting awfully touchy feely and Flint was really hoping they would go to her place and not the del Telarius home. He could see Camellia dancing as well with someone that Flint didn't recognize. Good, he thought. If they are dancing, it means I don't have to dance with her.

Flint's peace and quiet was somewhat interrupted by a fairly short girl with strawberry blonde hair and from what Flint's "wandering" eyes could tell, a fine figure. One that is quite pleasing to his slightly intoxicated eyes. Flint tried to keep his cool, as it was surprising that anyone got close to him. For the most part, he had the food table to himself, with people usually quickly retreating after Flint fired a sharp glance. The table was his territory and is alone. Very few managed to snag any amount of refreshments because Flint; a feat he was becoming quite proud of. However, this woman, like Flint, did not seem intent on leaving. It was interesting to see such a display at the ball.

"So, you trying to avoid people too then?" Flint said with a weak smile. "I am not a fan of these social gatherings myself. I find all the formalities such a drag," Flint said before pointing at the one plate he saw the girl eyeing. "You should try those. They are really good."
 
897
Posts
11
Years
  • Age 36
  • Seen Jun 19, 2016
Oda Baldotter
~
Oda departed from the meeting with Marcus as soon as she was able, with little patience for being put in her least favorite position despite the supposed necessity of it. One man had already died because of her that day, something that only weighed more heavily on her mind, after having her suppression cracked by the ball. All of the voices talking at once, while motions played across the floor and lights flickered like unstable stars across the corners of her vision. Even the scents of food wanted to overwhelm her, but found no grip through her abiding form. They couldn't be allowed, while it was her duty to take care of the guests.

There was little she could do herself, to secure the ball's safety, whether through personal presence or the command of guards, for it was all contained in the one room. It was a waiting game for the most part, something she'd become quite used to over the years, but that gave no comfort. It was hers to strike out against people who would attack the island's citizens, not to check the food for poisoning. There could have been Moreno's spies lurking around the guests, which was an unsettling thought, but she was certain the guards would have frisked the guests.

Unless the spy was a member of Sword themselves. Those paranoid thoughts had to go, but Gem was no longer around to pick up on them; she'd fled upon Oda's meeting with Marcus, presumably to find somebody else to pester or help the rest of the maids with catering. So the Adept weaved her way through the guests in a pattern, trying to find anything that looked suspicious, as always, and there was, as always. The sheer amount of young people in the Famiglia promised drama about relationships, but it wasn't Sword's job to settle domestic disputes.

That was what Oda comforted herself with, until she spotted Xoxaaa scurrying away from a tall man in an uncomfortable suit. Her first thought was concern for the young woman herself, but quickly changed to the fact that she was a member of Sword, and they apparently all needed to be on their guard for the Ball. Oda could have strolled over to Xoxaa and attempted to speak herself, but she seemed to need time to calm down from some sudden shock, as her hungry gaze ate everything at the food table.

The next best thing would be to confront the man that had offended Xoxaa somehow, which was likely an easy thing to do, considering her skittishness while chasing down the thief, but it was something that needed to be resolved, before any further problems arose. Oda swiftly worked her way through the crowds of Ball attendees, making sure that her sheathed sword would not hit anyone along the way, until she came to stand before Adam, dressed in her military coat and uniform as always.

"Good evening," Oda greeted Adam cordially, meeting his gaze firmly to not breed some sense of confidence. She knew little of the Apprentice, except for the apparent hullabaloo he caused preceding his blessing to join the Famiglia, but given that he'd apparently turned the case around, she would need to be firm before such confidence arose here. "You seem to have provoked one of the Sword Apprentices." She said, with a brief gesture to the food table where Xoxaa found sanctuary. "If you would, I'd like you to explain what occurred, so we can settle the matter appropriately."
 

Xlugon Pyro

Dragon Tamer
308
Posts
16
Years
Xoxaa Illiphia
The High Priestess

Xoxaa catches the man's glance just as he began speaking, causing her to jump ever so slightly but not as much as she normally would. It was only a matter of time. after all. She already had an attractive, curvy body, but it's only made more evident with her dress squeezing her large bosom, making it puff a bit out of her dress. While it's very embarrassing, there's not much she could do about it, since she had forgotten to obtain attire for the event herself and had to borrow clothes.

"So, you trying to avoid people too then?" he asks, his voice considerably more friendly than she anticipated for a large, intimidating man that is he, even smiling a little, perhaps for finding another of like mind, at least in regards to what he spoke of. "I am not a fan of these social gatherings myself. I find all the formalities such a drag."

The girl responds slowly, but nonetheless drifts her gaze up to meet his... sort of, as she still didn't want to make eye contact with him or anyone else, and gave him a crooked smile, but one of agreement. "I hear you. It's sort of intimidating too, and kind of lonely when you don't have anyone to hang out with. But at least it has comfort food!"

Her commentary on the food causes her smile to widen, warmness brought to her over the thought of the food before them. In the madness of the ball's commotion and the aggravating background music that assaults her senses nonstop, she can still find solace in the food table, reaching for a paper cup and dispensing some red juice into her cup before bringing it up to her lips and sipping the contents of the whole cup in a few big gulps before placing the cup back down on the table, satisfied as she licks her lips in pleasure. Her eyesight is drawn back to the man before her, walking closer to him while examining the food closer to his side of the table and looking around the table for the next victim for her digestive acids. Being of like mind, the man observes the focus of her sight on the food on the table, and decides to make a suggestion.

"You should try those. They are really good," he declares, directing the girl's sight to the platter of food he spoke of.

"Oh, that looks good! I'll try it," she replies, her stomach doing the talking as her right hand reaches out for the food item he told her about, picking one up and drawing it up to her mouth for consumption.

With a few quick bites and a loud gulping noise, the food couldn't hope to stave off the hunger of the young woman who made swift work of the food. "Mmmm! That is good! I think I'll take a few more..."

Xoxaa reaches for the platter once again, this time scooping a pile of the scrumptious food item onto a paper plate she pulled out of a pile elsewhere on the table, placing the food on the plate and brings the plate back to the edge of the table where she is to gorge herself on the delicacy before her, making quick work of the food.
 

machomuu

Stuck in Hot Girl Summer
10,507
Posts
15
Years

Adam Randi - Justice Arcana


Adam jumped at Xoxaa's outburst as she told him to leave her alone and stormed away. He thought about apologizing, but he wasn't sure what she'd do if he pursued her, so he decided to wait for another opportunity, when she would be less aggravated. He was feeling worse than before, now. He drooped his head and jammed his hands in his pockets, thinking of all the places he'd rather be than where he was now. Though, he wasn't quite so lucky that he would catch a break, and was acosted by a woman wearing a military uniform. He knew that she came to him because of something he did, though he wasn't exactly sure of what it was that he did.

"Good evening," she started. Adam's expression remained unchanged, and he felt a small amount of fear spark in him. It reminded him of the incident not too long ago that involved him being involved in a murder case. That day, the members of Sword greeted him in much the same way this woman did now. Their words were polite and cordial, but they were paradoxically aggressive and stern in their intent; it's a deceptive bit that Adam slightly envied, but it was one that also made him cringe.

"You seem to have provoked one of the Sword Apprentices." She continued, with a brief gesture to where the priestess. "If you would, I'd like you to explain what occurred, so we can settle the matter appropriately." Adam's eyes shot open in shock. He was in trouble for that? No, no he was jumping to conclusions, and he knew this...but...what if he were to have fun with the whole situation? What if, rather than trying to comfort and socialize with the priestess, he did something more sinister?

"Well, officer," He started, bearing a grin. "I noticed a cute coed in this direction. She seemed a little lonely, so I walked over and comforted her as any gentleman would." He put his back against the wall and his hands behind his head. "Well, 'comforted' may be a little too mild. I 'dropped a few lines on her', complimented her figure and the like. Y'know, the normal stuff." He looked in Illiphia's direction. "Seems she was a bit too fickle, though, and she ran off with rather piercing words. Heck, I probably hurt more than she did." He put on a fake pouting face and moved closer to Oda. He pointed to his heart and said, "It hurt; I felt it right here." He poked at his chest a few times. "Right. Here."

He moved back to the wall and put his hands back behind his head. For an improvised performance, that was pretty eccentric. "So, what is it about the matter that we have to settle?"
 

Ash_Ketchum123

That one guy
290
Posts
13
Years

Alexander Grant - The Emperor


Focus, Alex thought to himself.

In a flash, he slashed his sword at the tree in front of him. It made splinters fly and left a gash on the bark of the tree. He frowned. This was not how he wanted it to be. He tried again. Closing his eyes, he mustered all the physical and mental energy he could get. His grandfather had once told him that the strongest blow you can get to an opponent is one built from both physical and mental strength. He focused more, breathing in and out evenly. Suddenly, he released the energy, swinging his sword towards the tree. It went through this time, but stopped after it was a quarter through it. Alex pulled out his sword and let out a sigh.

It had only been a few months since he has received his Arcana. It had also been only a few months since his grandfather had died. He still couldn't get his power right. Supposedly, he was able to remove and manipulate other people's memories, yet he can't do so at will. It happens occasionally, whenever he gets jittery, or in trouble, but it's always by accident. He learned that he was also able to do something else. His voice. Something changed about it ever since he received The Emperor. One could hear authority in it, as if Alex was commander of something when in fact, he was nothing but a 17 year-old boy.

"A 17 year-old boy who could use a sword better than most people ,"he told himself smugly. "I am a Grant. I am not just a 17 year-old boy. I am a 17 year-old Grant."

He laughed victoriously in the air, showing off to anyone who could see him, although no one was probably there. He was deep in the forest, beside a crystal clear lake. He usually goes here to meditate and train. Being new to the Famiglia, he wasn't really close to anyone yet. He also disliked the way their sector leader, Ari, trains him. So he chooses to hide out here where he can train alone. When he tests out his Arcana, however, he walks around the town, scouring for "test subjects." He prefers old people. Since they usually forget stuff by nature, he figured that removing a part of their memory would be a snap. Even so, he has never successfully done it.

He sheated his sword back and looked at his watch. His eyes widened.

"Oh snap," he said before running back to the mansion. "Oh gods, I can't be late."

He ran as fast as he could, jumping and dodging any obstacle he passed. He had already memorized the path to the lake and back, but using that path would take too long, so he had to improvise. He turned left. Then right. He kept his speeding through the forest. Up ahead, he could already see the harbor. He ran faster. Fortunately, Alex had gone through enough physical exercise for him to run far distances without getting too exhausted. As soon as he stepped out of the forest, he made a sharp turn to the right, only to bump into another person. Alex fell back on his bottom while the other guy flew a small distance towards the opposite direction.

"Owww," he said as he rubbed his hips. He stood up and started walking towards the man he bumped into.

"Sorry, dude. I'm kind of in a hurry, and..." then his eyes focused on the bag that the man was holding. It was slightly open, and inside, Alex saw money. The guy was starting to wake up. He rubbed his head and his eyes slowly opened. As soon as the other guy saw Alex, he stood up and pulled out a knife.

"Whoa there," Alex said as he held his hands up in "surrender"

"Don't come anywhere near me!" the other guy said. He bent down and picked up his bag before cautiously making his way around Alexander.

Obviously, the guy had done something wrong. Alex could definitely see that. And the fact that he had commited a crime on the island of Regalo told either one of these things about him: he knew exactly what he was doing, or he was a complete idiot from another place who doesn't know how things worked around the island. To be safe, Alex assumed it was the former, even though it was clear that the other guy was shaking in his boots. Alex took a step towards the man.

"Back off! I'm not afraid to kill you!" the man threatened Alex.

"Really now," Alex said with a smirk. He took a step towards the man.

The man came charging. With his knife in the air, he ran towards Alex. Even though he expected this, he was still caught in surprise. When the man attempted to slash at him with the knife, he sidestepped, barely missing the knife blade. Alex backed off a few meters away from the man, who was now looking at him with red crazed eyes.

"Dude, what is wrong with you?" Alex told the man, who ignored him and, yet again, charged.

This time, Alex drew his sword. He stood firmly and held his sword in front of him with both hands. He began thinking of strategies. So many possibilities came into mind. The man slashed at his chest, but he stepped back at just the right moment to dodge it. The man kept slashing at him while he just dodged his attacks. During this time, Alex was already concocting a plan. He couldn't kill the man. He has never killed a person in his whole life, and he doesn't look forward to doing it one day. Taking the bag of money wouldn't be enough as well. He had to get this guy caught. Meanwhile, the man continued charging at Alex with his knife.

This guy sure has a temper, he thought to himself, and this gave him an idea.

He rolled away from the attacking person. He confronted the man with his sword, parrying his small knife with a long blade. Alex could've easily made the knife fly away from the man's hand, but he had a plan. He took a quick step to the right and grabbed the bag of money from the man's back. He took many steps back and held the bag in his hand.

"Want this? Come get it," he taunted, before running towards a stack of crates. He jumped behind it and looked for something. Something long, something that could hold the man. Then he found what he was looking for. A rope. He stepped out of the stack and got ready to confront the man, but what he found was...nothing. The man was gone.

Suddenly, the man appeared from behind the same stack of crates he had hid behind. This time, the man slashed Alex' right arm and the boy wasn't able to dodge it. The sleeve of his shirt got torn and he developed a long cut on his right arm, blood staining the white shirt.

"Aaaagh!" he screamed in pain, then he looked at the man with eyes full of hatred.

"Drop. Your. Weapon." Alex said in an authoritative force.

The man's left eye twitched, then he obeyed. He dropped his knife and stood straight. Alex would've found this amusing, but he wasn't in the mood for amusement. Instead, he walked over to the man, dropping the rope he'd just found and forgetting about his plan. Soon, he was face-to-face with the man. The man was struggling to take control. Like he was telling himself, "why are you doing this?". Alexander Grant kept a stern face.

"You were just about to report yourself to the authorities," he told the man.

"But-"

His voice was cut short when Alex held the tip of his sword to the man's throat.

"Y-yes," he replied.

Then Alex did something he didn't expect to do. He stared into the man's eyes and he saw himself go inside his mind. He saw the man when the man saw Alex after he had ran into him. He heard the man's thoughts during that time. Alex also learned what the man had done. He had stolen from the island's vault.

"Where are the others?" the man thought to himself as he desperately tried to hide from the police. Then, he bumped into another guy. Alex. The thief panicked. He knew that it was way past their deadline and something must've happened to his comrades. He resorted to brute force. There was no escape, he was telling himself. If I'm gonna go down, I'm gonna go down fighting.

A noble act used wrongly, Alex told himself. Was this how all criminals thought? Was this the disoriented sense of justice that criminals believed in?

Alex sought to change that memory. He focused his mind to what he wanted the man to remember, and it went like this: The man walked into the harbor, looking for the police. He had decided to return the money and go to jail without a fight. That simple. Alex pushed the memory of the battle earlier back where his mind could no longer touch it. After he was satisfied of his work, he got pulled out of the man's mind and he found himself in reality. The man had fallen asleep.

"That was definitely cool," he said after realizing that he had just used his Arcana. To be safe, he tied the sleeping man in a smudgeon.

He looked at his watch again and got more worried. He bolted away from the man and away from the harbor. He saw a police not far from the harbor so he decided to report everything that had just happened.

"Greetings, officer. There's a thief tied in the harbor. He'll tell you everything," Alex said before running off again.

"On it. What the? Hey wait! Your right arm! It's-" but the police was already too far for Alex to hear him.

He ran and ran and ran. The mansion was in sight now. He picked up speed and swept past everything in his path. As soon as he arrived inside the mansion, he went straight to the Grand Hall, not even bothering to change clothes anymore. He opened the large oak doors of the hall and inside he saw his fellow Famiglia members, all dressed formally and attractively, while he, Alexander Grant, was dressed in a blue vest adorned with royal gold outline markings over a long-sleeved white polo, with its right sleeve torn and stained with blood. He walked around the room, avoiding contact with anyone. He hid behind one of the columns and awaited the Papa's announcement.
 

Legend

Kingslayer
1,308
Posts
15
Years

Flint de Telarius- The Chariot


It was surprising to watch the girl eat with the unbridled passion and speed of the girl that shared the food table with Flint. Most of the girls that Flint "dated" did not share Flint's love of food (except the occasional munchies). It was somewhat depressing, but bearable. It was nice to see a girl break the mold for once. It kept life from becoming too predictable, as he had sadly adjusted to since returning home and working. Life had become so…tedious in that sense. Small things like this reminded me that life could occasionally throw him the curveballs he had loved so much.

"Mmmm! That is good! I think I'll take a few more..." she had said after a loud gulping noise.

"Whoa, whoa, whoa. Don't eat everything now. I want some too!" Flint said, teasing her. Flint had already had eaten about half of a plate, and frankly was beginning to get full. It was a good thing too. If he didn't eat everything earlier, he probably would of been fairly drunk on all the drinks he had since attending the event. Events like this always made him drink. It was one of the few ways to deal with Marcus.

She had continued to eat, continuing to impress and surprise Flint. This was someone that Flint could handle. Someone who could enjoy life, even in simple matters. For some reason, he felt comfortable. Maybe this ball wasn't too bad really. Comfort food had run its course.

"So…" Flint said, trying to find a way to word his next phrase without offending or annoying the girl. "You got a name? Or would you like that I call you "Cute girl that likes food"?" Flint said facing her and throwing her a teasing smile as he asked. "You can call me, Flint." He chose to avoid sharing his last name. He never enjoyed sharing it, as he never felt like one of the family.

That was all Marcus' fault.
 

SV

See You Space Cowboy
3,393
Posts
13
Years
  • Seen Feb 7, 2022

Marcus de Telarius


Marcus couldn't recall the last time he had actually enjoyed the company of another in these sort of social gatherings. He would always put on an air of pleasantry and fine manners, though he would leave his personal feelings along any subject at home, thereby acting not as himself, but rather treating the situation as an extension of his work duties, or his obligation to his family as an upright citizen. Yet this one had began quite differently than he was used to, which he found enjoyable. But snapping back into the reason he was here, he knew that he couldn't remain in this state forever. He had to be snapped back and taken hold of his responsibilities, or he would lose sight of what he should be doing.

And as if just on cue, the arrival of Liberta and Felicita instantly prompted Marcus to snap back to his usual self, examining the positions of the other Swords to ensure everything was secure. Everything seemed to be in order for now, and Marcus excused himself from Ari, and manned a position on the far side of the room, with a good view of everything, and everyone.

"It was a pleasure to dance with you." Marcus said uneventfully, giving Ari a short bow before heading to his position. Once there, he listened as the announcements were made. As Liberta introduced Felicita to the podium, Marcus clasped his hands behind his back and watched as everyone cheered, vigilantly ensuring nothing out of the ordinary wasn't happening. He listened as she spoke, but also minded his surroundings. Nothing out of the ordinary was to happen. He had to make sure of it.

Felicita spoke of the thieves, explaining the necessity of the other branches' involvement, to which Marcus listened more intently. He paced in the corner of the room, watching the speech unfold, and the reactions of the guests. At the mention of Moreno, Marcus perched up, but not enough to have made it noticeable. He was still here as security and defense, and therefore didn't wish to alarm any guests by he himself showing any panic. Felicita then introduced Nova, whom Marcus gave a polite clap along with the crowd. He noted Nova's rather weak demeanor and walk. He was, as per the rumors, not well. The coughing more than backed it up.

However, Marcus was now more concerned with the news he delivered. The first was regarding the Arcana Duello, the tournament to decide the next 'Papa'. Marcus wasn't sure what to make of it on a personal level. The tournament was necessary, and so he would participate as part of his duty. But this event would also be partaken by his siblings, which would be a more delicate matter to him. On the outside, both to anyone who would ask and to his siblings as well, he would clearly state that they should consider the participation an obligation, and one in which they should regard with the utmost importance. This matter would affect the decision of many, and they therefore must contribute all they can so that the rightful individual will take up the position. Yet on the inside, Marcus knows his family all too well. Camellia always looks to avoid conflict, and this would likely be no different. Beck has a brilliant mind, but Marcus questions his ability to apply his studies in a more practical approach. Flint is…well, Flint. This isn't to say they don't have what it takes. Marcus knows that all of his siblings have the potential to do great things. They are of the Telarius family, after all. But he also doesn't want them to step into something they aren't ready for. They aren't fighters, and probably never were intended to be. That's why they are where they are in their sectors. Yet to fulfill what is expected of them, they would have to become fighters, whether Marcus likes it or not. Thankfully, they would have two months before the event, giving him time to ensure they would be ready.

The second bit of news caused Marcus even more shock, however. The wheel of fortune and the fate of an Arcana card wielder was beginning to cause murmurs across the ballroom. Marcus himself was dumbstruck for a moment before he regained his composure and ensured all other Swords were prepared in case something were to occur among the guests. Marcus eyed Nova's walk, stepping forward himself so that no one would attempt to make a harmful move at him as he left for the door. His mind tried to make sense of what had happened. The Arcana Duello just became that much more important now, if it held the fate of one of them in its hands. Not only would the winner become 'Papa' and be granted a wish. They would also hold the life of one of the wielders in their hands. But he understood that it was because of this that made it all the more serious how he and his siblings should approach it. Holding the life of others in one's hands had to be handled with care. It may be so easy to say it now, but when the time comes then, how one reacts could say a lot about their character. Their personal beliefs, their tendencies, their ties, their emotions and their ideology. All of these were things that would flow through the mind of the winner when he has to make that decision. What a moral and upstanding person must do in that moment is cast all that aside, and simply choose based on what is right.

Marcus believed he was capable of that, or at least he would adhere to that philosophy. The question he asked himself was: were the rest of them?
 

Xlugon Pyro

Dragon Tamer
308
Posts
16
Years
Xoxaa Illiphia
The High Priestess

"Whoa, whoa, whoa. Don't eat everything now. I want some too!" the man declares as Xoxaa reaches out for more food from a platter, scooping it up and drawing it towards her to eat it.

"I left a few! I'm not that selfish!" she retorts, eyes locking onto her food as she begins gobbling up what she took from the food platter.

The girl was occupied with eating and didn't pay too much heed to the friendly conversation she's having with this stranger. Normally, the attention from strangers would force Xoxaa away, but the food keeps her in a more relaxed state. She didn't even get a look at the man, other than identifying his hair color, but her indulging in food won't have her take a quick peek at his features. No matter how she feels, eye contact is something to avoid, always.

"So…" utters the man, turning towards the girl with a warm smile on his face, his break in speech grabbing Xoxaa's attention, albeit slightly, glancing towards him out of the corner of her eye.

"You got a name? Or would you like that I call you 'Cute girl that likes food'?" he compliments her, moving quickly over a threshold Xoxaa is completely unprepared for. "You can call me Flint."

The young woman's cheeks erupt with a strong hue of red almost as if they glow. She never takes compliments well, but her blushing under these circumstances is something she's never been able to keep under control. Almost everyone who caught her in one of her embarrassed blushing episodes would easily recognize the situation, which of course only made her feel worse. This particular scenario calls for one thing, turning away and trying to keep her skittish personality under control until a better solution comes to mind.

"Uhm..." mutters the woman, her voice quiet and breaking up while her body turns away from the man who calls himself Flint.

"I-I... uhm..." she stammers, her knees and palms clenched tightly together as if she's holding something in or back, struggling to overcome the overwhelming fluttering feeling surging throughout her body. "I'm... I'm... Xo... xaa..."

The situation didn't last long, however, as the ball room becomes louder with the ball participants scrambling towards the large staircase on the other side of the room. Soon after, the heads of the family begin to descend down the stairs to greet the crowd, which of course concludes with the arrival of Nova and ultimately, his speech, addressing in particular the card holding rank and file of the Famiglia. Xoxaa's glance shifts to the staircase ever so slightly, still in her awkward pose, but nobody else seems to be paying attention to her odd posture to her benefit, and with the rest of the crowd, focuses her attention on what Nova has to say, as she heard there would be an important announcement tonight.
 
897
Posts
11
Years
  • Age 36
  • Seen Jun 19, 2016
Oda Baldotter
~
After Oda's query, she watched the man go into a tirade of whimsy and bluster, and reminded herself that this was the home of the Famiglia, rather than the citizens that she usually dealt with. They would, of course, have less respect for the badge of Sword. This having been what she presented to most, save for the select few occurrences with Felicita and the time spent with Xoxaa, it was a briefly unnerving experience to have it brushed off so casually by the grinning fool without a name to call by.

The tirade itself was rather amusing, if only because of the satire it made of the attitude that most young men would approach people with. An abundance of confidence, a lack of respect, and more meat between their legs than between their ears. Were she to choose between the two, the joker was much preferred company. As though the inflections in his voice and the sparkle in his eyes weren't enough, Adam punctuated his words with eccentric gestures and movements.

"Your glibness does you no credit." Oda stated firmly, after Adam returned to lean against the wall and, from the corner of her eyes, the sight of Nova approaching the podium became clear. She would need to resolve this swiftly. "I advise that you leave the Apprentice alone for the night; this has been a stressful day for Sword, moreso for those of us involved in subduing the thieves. If you'll excuse me, Papa is about to address the Famiglia."

The departure wasn't much of one, as Oda found herself the nearest seat to perch on and sat with interlaced fingers to listen to Papa's news. Her form was still as a dead woman's, barely moving even upon the end of the speech,a s her mind raced to comprehend the news. The first thoughts to bloom were those of selfishness, for fear of her own mortality. There were attempts made, before, to harm herself in some way; to test whether she would be able to kill herself, should her mind turn in that direction. They'd failed.

But the removal of The Hanged Man would surely cause her death, which was a thought that made the brand across her back burn. The Adept wasn't sure whether she would be able to handle giving the sacrifice herself, or even if The Hanged Man would allow her to. It was not her fate to choose personal sacrifice, for that reason alone. So her mind turned to rationalization. The Arcana Duello itself; a ridiculous concept, based on might supposedly making right.

Oda had an immediate list of reasons why that idea was ridiculous to the largest extent, but could not bring them up for fear of the somber attitude that would rest across the ball with acknowledgement of these rules. There were many actions to take, some of them involving attempting to ensure her own immortality, which she wrote off as The Hanged Man's influence, and others attempts at resolving the situation some other way. Reclaiming the attention of the ball, to denounce the idea, was far outside her realm of confidence.

She would need to talk with the sect leaders, instead, for their pull would be just enough to denounce this idea. They had to be. But to be able to sway such people, who were trodden upon by the thoughts of the masses, she would need the support of other members of the Famiglia. Immediately, she turned to the man named Adam, who had just been nearby, and looked him in the eye.

"What do you make of this?"
 

CourageHound

Trust & Courage. Nothing More
823
Posts
11
Years
Tobi Lomborte
The Sun

Tobi, finally deciding to be social, approaches Annabelle, "Hey Anna hows the party going?"

Instead of giving Tobi an answer, instead she irritably asks a question of her own"What were you talking to Ari about?" "She ask you to do something stupid, or something evil?"

"Huh?? Oh that? She just said something silly don't worry about it. She just wanted me to do something embarrassing, I'm not gonna fall for it."

"Well that is not much of a surprise, I think she is rowdy, inappropriate, and pretty evil. Though I must say she is quiet the intelligent person. She may rival me," Annabelle laughed, ans Tobi chuckled with her. "Though our fields of expertise are much different, so it would be hard to compare." She waved Steven over. "Do you know Steven? He is one of the guards."

He held his hand out with a smile. "Are you her brother?" He asked

"Nice to meet you." Tobi shakes the man's hand, "Uhh, well no, we're just freinds. Do we look alike or something?" Tobi was a bit intrigued the guard asked this. Not exactly because he asked the question, but that alot of people have asked that lately. It never really crossed Tobi's mind that Annabelle and him could be related somehow.

"Well no, just thought I'd ask." He laughed, "Well I need to get going, I will probably see you both later." He bowed and waved then walked away.

"Well he is a nice person, hey tomorrow, you want to help me practice my card power? I think I can single out specific events now!" Anna had been waiting all day to ask, but just never had the time to ask. "I can't really ask other people you know, so you are the best candidate!"

"Sure, why not? You could help me out too with my concentration too." Tobi takes a sip of the drink in his hand thinking about the day to come. "A good time would be after I finish patrols. Speaking of which, I gotta get back to overseeing the east wing of the ballroom." They both wave at each other as Tobi walks off.
 
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