A Wolf in Sheep's Clothing [Open]

[ravensly]

It was a bright, sunny day in Fuschia Village on Dawn Island. The sun shone down bright, and the water of the bay seemed to sparkle as if there were specks of gold on its surface. Dew still sat on much of the plant life, birds were chirping cheerfully, and the air was fresh and clean. It was truly a wonderful day to simply enjoy life, or do some good work to support one’s family.

But not everyone in the town was so merry. Floating into the bay of the town was a moderately sized boat, with a single passenger, whose cold and grim expression showed she was decidedly not happy. In fact she was about as far from being merry as one could possibly get. As she sat there by herself while the wind carried her boat in towards the shore, her facial expression showed she was grim. Grim and ice cold. Her gaze was wide and fierce, like a predatory beast awaiting the start of a hunt. This was actually an apt analogy, because she had come here for a similar purpose.

10 years ago, on a different part of this same island, this girl had once been a young child, and a victim of a vast conspiracy orchestrated by the Nobles who governed the entire island. Now, she had come back to exact her revenge on those same people, and she would do so with ruthless precision and monstrous ferocity. Her purpose for being here now was nothing less than to personally kill every single one of the Nobles. Husbands, Wives, Children. She would kill them all in her quest for vengeance. The Nobles had taken everything from her, and so she would exact her vengeance upon them and show just how ruthless and cruel she was truly capable of being.

Approaching the harbor, the girl stood up and shook off her state of brooding to focus on the first details of her plan. After entering Fuschia village she would need to find a way into the city, either by joining a group entering the gate, or somehow climbing over the fortified wall that surrounded it.

As she reached the dock, the long stretch of wood going out into the bay, she brought her boat up alongside it while she tied up the sail of her boat. Then turning, she walked over to the edge of the deck and stood there, then taking hold of one of the posts and the rope that was laid there. She tied her boat up to the dock using the mooring line rope, and once that was done, took her things and climbed out of the boat, stepping onto the dock itself.

While before when she was by herself she had had a dark, murderous atmosphere, the girl knew she couldn’t afford to attract any unwanted attention to herself, so she hid her true intentions, using a very good poker face to appear calm and cheerful, and so no one would be the wiser. Still, if you looked her directly in the eyes, there was still something dark and unsettling about them, but with her high degree of training and purposeful effort to conceal it, it was rather ambiguous and cloudy at best.

She then began walking down the dock, beginning the journey that would change her life forever. In more ways than she knew.

[Armani]

This place was always a bit intimidating for him. It wasn't the grandiose nature of the noble's city of Goa, though these people spared no expense in whatever they did. It wasn't the massive walls that were erected to make sure the nobles didn’t have to see the rest of the "filth" that were the ordinary, everyday people who lived on this island. It wasn't the expensive and lavish items that were displayed. It wasn't the known slavery that existed. Some of those things might have been considered frustrating or spirit dampening, but none of it made him feel as anxious as he did as just simply being inside the city walls. Standing within its limits was truly taxing on his mind and spirit. He knew only a handful of people here and even then, he didn't really "know" much about them at all. He considered himself a fairly strong person, but even with that strength of body, mind and spirit, he found himself frightened at the idea of meeting a select few. His conflicted mind raced through its memories of this place. A small number of them were fine, but most of them derided and antagonized him as he stood quietly with a darker alleyway.

Cuomo Royale, a marine for a few years now had found himself using his vacation leave before he would lose it. Why did he then feel like it was a good idea to come to this place? He could have taken a trip to a resort, or a lodge, or just about anywhere else in the world, but instead he decided to come here. Did he even have a choice?

What small amount of light could enter the alley gleamed off of two silver chains that were looped and connected to the back of his waist. These chains that seemed to almost be a part of his self were shined to perfection in anticipation of being inside the illustrious city of nobles. His hand moved within the shadows moving a small pendant around within his finger allowing it to catch a glimpse of the light to glisten for just a second before finally clasping around and embracing it. The young marine held it preciously for a moment before it was lifted up and placed around his neck. With a quick movement, the adornment was swiftly hidden away from public sight underneath a dark gray button down shirt. He smoothed out the shirt as a final check to any wrinkles that might have appeared, though it seemed to be as smooth and perfect as a shirt could. Any sign of imperfection was immediately discarded as worthless by the pompous nature of this small handful of "special" people and the audacious disposition of such a city.

As anxious as he was, Cuomo's feet took their first steps out of the shadows and into the sunlight once more. The sound of the everybody moving around was dampened while he had been in the alley, but as he exited, the sounds of life within the city stirred more loudly and soon he was engulfed by it as much as he was the shining sun.

"This is really just another city isn't it?" He said with a soft smile as he tried to convince himself of it. To most who had said such a thing, it might have been true, but to him, this city, it's people, its Nobles; there was so much more here than "just another city".

[eyebite22]

Porter stood in the forest, bare chested and sweating from his training. Striking out at the bark stripped tree, circling around the trunk striking high and low. With a number of flips he moved away from the tree before charging forward, his fist aflame as he smashed it into the centre of the buckled in the tree, smashing in the trunk. With a smirk he turned away and walked to a nearby tree, taking his shirt from a hanging branch and sweeping it around his shoulders.

As he walked away the tree buckled, falling to the ground in a resounding crash while Porter strolled away.

Porter walked to a nearby stream, kneeling to splash some water onto his face and drink a bit to refresh himself. Standing up he wrung out his hands, then once they were dry enough he rubbed them together quickly, lighting them up on fire to dry off his face and hair.

Standing up porter began to make his way down towards the town in the distance. With his daily workout regime finished he would have to return to his night time job as a bartender/bouncer.

Porter ran back to the town, taking about an hour to reach the outskirts of the town. He passed by a number of familiar patrons on their way about their life, grabbing a bite to eat from a nearby stall before making his way to the bar where he worked. As he walked in the owner slapped him in the back of the head.

"Where have you been, you stink like a pig. You better get washed up before the customers start arriving"

"Ha ha okay Mrs Kalissa, I'll get ready" said Porter

With an easy grin that set the bar owner at ease he rushed off to the back room to get ready. All manner of patrons came to the Cranky Bear Bar, and he had to be able to both be respectful and courteous as well as able to kick some patrons out at the moments notice.

[ravensly]

Walking down the old, creaky dock, the girl looked around her. The town of Fuschia was a peaceful place, with warm, friendly people. She smiled internally to herself as she watched them all go by her, “So innocent and kind…and ignorant. These people have no idea what’s going on in the rest of the world outside of their little town” she glanced over in that same direction again, past the mountains far off in the distance, “Even on another part of their own island.”

Reaching the end of the dock she had come in on, the girl looked around, “I need a drink. I’ll need to fill up my canteen anyway before I set out to the other side of the island. Getting through that damn forest will take a while.”

Approaching the same bar where Porter was, she entered it silently, not saying a word as she approached the counter. Then, sitting down at one of the stools, the girl finally spoke, “I need a big bottle of the thickest Green Tea you got, and if you have any Bento boxes I can buy, I need three of those too.”

Bento were of course Japanese Lunch boxes. The girl was going on a hiking trip to get to her destination. For now she was keeping her true intentions a secret, and wouldn’t be divulging them to anyone willingly, but someone adept at reading people might be able to tell by looking at her eyes that there was something slightly off about her, of course that usually wasn’t enough to deduce that someone was planning something, as there were people like that all the time. He would need to be a good interrogator, and actually know to do so for him to find out what she was planning to do.

[Armani]

It was such a rush! The people moved, walked and talked loudly as the place seemed to be as busy a market as any other city. The demeanor of the Goa City's citizens however differentiated themselves. As Cuomo walked out into the world of high class and nobility, he noticed the finesse he heard most of the people speak with, the pride they held themselves in and their nature in clothing.

He had emerged from the dark alley two the concerned sight of only a few. Those who had noticed him exit were immediately suspicious of a man who seemed to hide in the darkness like he had, even if it was only for a couple minutes and he clearly looked like he belonged here. Well, maybe not clearly… Though his clothes were nice by other's standards, they still reeked of working class nice, instead of the nobility casual. And it was true. Cuomo was a working man. A Marine charged with protecting the people and the law. However, to make up for his lack of "proper" attire, Cuomo seemed to hold himself in a manner that exuded a bit of nobility himself. Though dampened by his insecurities of this place, the man always seemed to have a laid back, but slightly regal nature about him. He held his head high, yet his form was a bit relaxed as he stood around and took in everything. His long legs and height put him about a had above most people causing him to look down a bit.

He found himself trying to force a smile to whoever made eye contact with him. It was obvious he was uncomfortable here, but he was determined to make the most of his time and find some sort of solace in this place. There had to be one or two institution that would at least welcome him, right?

When standing and looking had come to a pinnacle, it became obvious that he needed to begin doing something. So, with his chains clinking together softly, his feet began to take him to the nearest store.

As he entered into double doors, bending over slightly to evade the low arch, the excited smile of a man ready to serve customers turned to greet him. Pudgy, rosy cheeks sitting on top of a short and stout man excitedly turned to face whoever had walked into his shop, only to suddenly change to disappointment at the sight of someone who dressed less well-to-do than his regular customers.

"What," He started with a sharp tone, "can I dooOOooo for you, sah?" The inquiry was dripping with intentional disgust and haughtiness that made Cuomo feel like the man, as short as he was, was trying to stand taller than himself. It hadn't of been the most friendly greeting he had received in this worlds, but then again, remembering where he was, it was to be expected from this kind of a place.

"Good evening." Cuomo gave the clearly resenting man a slight bow that came along with his soft, warm smile. Cuomo had been greeted many different way by many different people before. So long as this man wasn't trying to harm him or another in his greeting, despite how exposed his distaste of the young marine was, he would receive the same smile that most other who had met him had seen. "I just wanted to come in a take a look around. I haven't been to this city and a long time and everything about this place feels a little new to me." His head turned from the right to the left as he mentioned "looking around" and noticed that he had walked into a men's clothing store. That was a good thing! At least he picked a store that was appropriate. "Would that be okay?"

His own inquiry was out of politeness and respect for the man in front of him. Cuomo, as the customer had the right to be in the store until he was kicked out by the rotund tailor. However, his consideration and acknowledging that this man owned the store was probably going to at least let him stay for a few minutes more than simply retorting back in a similar manner to the proprietor.

"Well, it doesn't look like you can afford anything here, sah." With the wave of a hand, he dismissed Cuomo as nothing and turned his back to the marine. "But Iiiiii, will not stop you if you want to look, sah." His back was still turned away, but Cuomo's smile grew just a little as he was given permission to stay and look.

"Thank you, sir."

[eyebite22]

Porter turned around from cleaning some mugs with a washcloth to face the customer. With a forced smile he addressed the customer, always aware that Mrs Kalissa had impressed upon him the importance of being friendly with customers.

"Green Tea, Sure I can get you some right away. I'm not sure about the Bento Boxes but I will check in the back for you. If you'll just wait for me right here I will be back in just a second"

Throwing the wash cloth over his shoulders he turned around and walked into the back room where Mrs Kalissa waited.

"We have a customer outside, she wants to buy some Bento boxes, do we have any prepared? She needs 3 boxes."

"Of course we do, I'll wrap them up, you go out there and keep her occupied until they are ready."

Porter nodded to Mrs Kalissa's instructions and then grabbed the bottle of green tea from the shelf. Porter walked back outside, pausing at the door to sigh and again paste his forced smile to his face. He walked over and placed the bottle on the table.

"The bento boxes will be right out Ms, are you planning to go for a picnic . . . its the right weather for it. I know a few nice places around here, I'm always up in the forest and mountains myself. If you take the main track out of the village and countinue on till you get to a lightning struck tree you can turn North, after about a 30 minute walk you should reach a nice spot overlooking a waterfall"

Porter turned as Mrs Kalissa entered from the back room, the Bento boxes wrapped and in hand. Porter took them and placed them beside the bottle of green Tea. Porter placed a written bill in front of the customer and crossed his arms awaiting payment.

[ravensly]

The girl looked calmly and sternly at Porter, her face strangely absent of the warm kindness the other people of the town had, “Thank you.” She simply said as she waited for Porter to go and get her order. She took notice of the young man’s clear disdain with his job, her brow raising slightly.

As she waited for him, she once again went over what she had to do, and decided to ask the young man about it. He soon came out with her bottle of green tea, which she took and opened, bringing it up to her lips and drinking from it, then setting it back down. The tea was very thick, and provided the quench for her thirst she had been looking for. The girl then reached behind her and pulled her rucksack off her back, taking off her canteen from the side of it, and pouring the rest of the bottle into it.

She then set the bottle back down, “Here.” She said. She was faintly listening to what he was saying, “I’m not going for a picnic. I’m heading to Goa City. Do you know the best way to get there?” she said, finishing what she had been doing, leaving her rucksack on the counter so that she could put the bento boxes in it when the woman arrived with them.

She then looked at him as the woman came out with her bento boxes. Sighing, she took out her wallet and picked up the bill. Counting out the amount of money of it, she handed the bills to the man and then put the Bento boxes into her rucksack, opening it up and setting them inside. Once they were in, she then returned her rucksack to her back and looked at the young man before her, awaiting his answer to her question.

[eyebite22]

ooc: I decided to go ahead and post, I know armani is next but I thought I would go ahead in the meantime as we are in conversation. sorry if this breaks the posting order.

I can do better than that, for a small fee I can show you the way. I know all the ins and outs, I can get you there faster than you can say wow that was fast.

Porter watched the girls face, keeping an eye out for any tell in her expression. He did know his war around and this way he could pick up a few extra bucks for his trouble. So saying he continued to wipe down the bar with a rag, trying not to display too much enthusiasm for the idea, if he made it seem like a chore he could probably get some more money out of the girl.


Porter stopped wiping down the table in mid glide, and lifted his eyes to stare at the girl with the ghost of a smile touching his lips.

If you're interested I finish my shift in about an hour, You can wait here, have a bit more tea and then I can bring you up there what do you say?

Porter looked over his shoulder to check that the manager was out of sight before leaning forward on the table, arms crossed he watched the girl think it over. Extending his right hand across the table he grinned and said "So is it a deal sweet cheeks?"